LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

eaiiGcVl ioMrig^i ; 

rNlTliS STATES OF AMEEICA. j 



LAWS AND EEGULATIONS 

OP 

SHOET WHIST 



ADOPTED BY THE 

Washington Club of Paris 

COMPILED FROM THE BEST MODERN AUTHORITIES 

AND AS PLATED IN THE 

PRINCIPAL CLUBS OF LONDON AND PARIS 

AND IN THE 

FIRST SALOONS OF BOTH CAPITALS 



WITH MAXIMS AND ADVICE FOR BEGINNERS 



BY 

A. TRUMP JUNIOR 

-$ri\-U^c ymUA^ 




NEW FOi^^;— HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS 

P^i275;— GALIGXAXI & CO., 224 RUE DE RTA-OLI 
LONDON:— \Y. S. ADAMS & SONS, 59 FLEET STREET 



1880 

Stereoti/jicd in Paris 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1880, by 
HARPER & BROTHERS, 
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 



DEDLCATED WITHOUT PERMISSION 

-lO THOSE 

EMINENT AUTHORITIES 

*'CAVENDISI"I'' AND '*J. C." 

AS WITHOUT THEIR REMARKABLE DECISION 

THE PRESENT VOLUME WOULD NEVER HAVE SEEN 
THE LIGHT OF D/VY. 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 

1. — Preface. Reasons for publication 1 

2. — Showing your hand to your partner. ''Mogul" 

and Westminster Papers vei^sus "Cavendish" 
and '* J. C." ''Cavendish" in the Field, 
March 30, 1879. He declares the existing laws, 
whether good or bad, are unci lang cable. 

The author " could'nt see it " 5 

3. — Introduction 23 

4. -— Different games of Whist, viz., Long Whist 

with honours ; Short Whist, with honours ; the 
•'\\ ashington Club " Whist, or Short Whist 
without honours; Dummy Vrhist; Double 

Dummy Whist 27 

5. — Technical Terms 34 

G.— Odds at Whist 40 

7. — Rules of Short Whist 41 

8. — Formation of Table 41 

9. — Scoring 43 

10.— Cutting 43 

11 —Shuffling 44 

12.— The Deal 45 

13 — A New Deal 46 

14. — A Misdeal . ... 48 

15. — Cards played in error , 49 

16. — Exposed Cards oO 

17. — The Revoke , 54 



THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 



PAGE 



18. — General Rules 57 

19. — Maxims and x\dvice for Students and Beginners. 61 

20. — The Original Lead 77 

21. — Leads 81 

22. — Second Hand 85 

23. — Third Hand 88 

24. — Passing the trick, or finessing 91 

25. -Fourth Hand 101 

26. — Throwing the Lead 102 

27. — Under-play 102 

28. — Grands Coups 103 

29. — Deductions and Inferences from Leads and Plays. 104 

30. — First Player 105 

31 .—Second Player 107 

32. -Third Player 107 

33 . —Fourth Player 108 

34. — The Thirteenth Card 109 

35. — Grand Coup in Double Dummy, Ill 



LAWS 

AND 

REGULATIONS 



OP 



SHORT WHIST 



THE LAWS or SHOET WHIST 



PREFACE 



In the course of a game at Whist, which was 
being played at the Washington Club at Paris, 
one of the players, Mr. A., made the most exlra- 
ordinarystatement that he could expose his en- 
tire hand to his partner and none of his cards 
were liable to be called, and that he would lea\e 
it to ^'Cavendish," the Editor of the Field, 
Mi\ B, bet two to one that ''Cavendish" could not 
so decide, as his " Laws on Short Whist, ^ ^vhich 
were authority in the club, distinctly stated 
(Rule 56) that '' any card dropped with its face 
upwards, or in any way exposed on or above 
the table, even though snatched up so quickly 
that no one can name it, is an exposed caid 
and liable to be called." 

The stakeholder was requested to communi* 
eate with the Editor of the Field C' Caven- 
dish'''), and wrot^f ha following letter : — 



2 



THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 



Washington Clu^), 

''Paris, 28th February, 1879. 

Editor of the Field. 

Sir, — Will you kindly answer following 
query in your next ? A., in playing Whist, ex- 
hibits his hand to the other three players, so 
that every card may be seen, but without sepa- 
rating them or laying them on the table. Can 
these cards be considered as exposed and called 
as such ? 

" I rem.ain, yours truly, 

" W. P. F." 

To w'hich letter the following answ^er was 
pubhshed in tho Field of March 8th, 1879 : — 

W. P. F. — A player may expose his entire 
hand, so that all the others can see it, without 
a card penalty; if done intentionally, no one 
would play with him again." 

It seems that J. C." agreed with Caven- 
dish" in this decision, which the Editor of the 
Westminster Papers, one of the best authorities 
on Whist in England, and wdio is quoted in full 
farther on, describes as monstrous,^'' 

Deschapelles , the best Whist - player the 
world has ever seen, and whose laws are uni- 
versally acknowledged the best extant, says, in 



PREFACE 3 

speaking of exposed cards : — The law of the 
game is very strict with regard to shown cards ; 
and nevertheless, cases occur every day which 
do not appear to us to be punished with suffi- 
cient severity. A card is shown either inten- 
tionally or through awkwardness ; it may either 
serve to discover the weakness of a hand, or it 
may not be of any material consequence. It 
appears unjust to apply undue correction to this 
fault, but, on the other hand, too great lenity 
will encourage speculation, which it is of the 
greatest importance to repress by every possible 
means. It would be inconvenient to make it an 
affair of conscience, because it would be so often 
excused on the score of error ; besides, those 
cases which occur in what is called playing a 
fine game invariably affect the interest of those 
w^ho possess the greatest modesty and delicacy ; 
and it is therefore a tax from which the law 
cannot deliver them but by severity, and a rigo- 
rous and constant application. 

In two-handed games, that is, where parties 
are single, if cards be shown through awkward- 
ness or finesse^ an adversary has no right to 
call them. 

' ' But in playing a game with partners, circum- 
stances are materially altered. If you have 
shown your cards from speculation, it is very 
evident that you will expose those only the 



4 TflE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

discovery of which would produce no advantage 
to your adversaries, but w^ould convey impor- 
tant information to your partners." 

Hoyle says : " If any person throws his cards 
upon the table with their faces upwards upon 
the supposition that he has lost the game, the 
adversaries have it in their power to call any of 
the cards when they think proper, provided they 
do not make the party revoke, and he is not to 
take up his cards again/' 

Again : " If any person is sure of winning 
every trick, he may show his cards upon the 
table ; but he is then liable to have all of his 
cards called." 

'^Cavendish's" argument that there is a differ- 
ence between showing cards on the table or 
dJoove the table is too weak to rebut. His ow^n 
and J. CJs " rules say " exposed in any 

The contradiction of these and other rules, 
with numerous important omissions, compelled 
the Committee of the Washington Club to sus- 
pend them as authority in the club 

The following article on the subject, from the 
pen of ' 'Mogul" and the Editor of theWestminster 
Papers, with the letters of Cavendish" and 

J.C." will, it is presumed, justify in the minds 
of intelligent whist-players the necessity for the 
compilation of an amended set of rules. 



PREFACE 5 

Showing your Hand to your Partner." 

The following correspondence has appeared 
in the Field : — 

''Sir,— Of all extraordinary opinions on Whist 
law, not one, in my opinion, is so extraordinary 
as that contained in your paper of the Nov. 4 last 
where, in answer to 'W.H.A.', you say that— 

" 'A player lowering his hand so that it can be 
seen, without detaching a card, is not hable to 
have his cards called. It may be said, then, 
that a player may intentionally lower his cards 
so that his partner may see them, without any 

card penalty. We think he may ' 

I had hoped that some one else would 
question this opinion but, as no one has taken 
the trouble, I feel impelled to do so, and, in 
order to exhaust the question once for all, pro- 
pose to set out verbatim the laws which affect 
the question, viz. : 

" Law 56 — All exposed cards are hable to bo 
called, and must be left on the table; but a card 
is not exposed when dropped on the floor or 
elsewhere below the table. 

" The following are exposed cards : 

^M. Tw^o or more cards played at once. 
2. Any card dropped with its face upwards^ 
or in any way exposed on or above the table, 
even although snatched up so quickly that no 
one can name it. 



6 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

" Law 58. — If a player or players, under the 
impression that the game is lost or won, or for 
other reasons, throw his or their cards on the 
table face upwards, such cards are exposed, and 
liable to be called, each player's by the adversary; 
but should one player alone retain his hand, he 
cannot be forced to abandon it. 

^' Law 60. — A card detached from the rest 
of the hand so as to be named, is liable to be 
called ; but should the adversary name a wrong 
card, he is liable to have a suit called when he 
or his partner have the lead. 

" When I come to analyse these laws I find 
myself unable to commend their arrangement, 
but still their meaning is, in my opinion, clear. 

Law 56 starts off with stating generally 
the penalty for exposing cards, and then states a 
particular casein which, although a card may be 
actually seen, it shall not be considered as an 
exposed card within the meaning of the law. 
It then states tw^o cases in w^hich a card is to be 
treated as an exposed card, although perhaps 
not actually seen ; the second case being w^hen a 
card is dropped with its face upwards, or in any 
way exposed on or above the table. Now^, can 
it be said, when a man, intending to let the 
players see his cards, deliberately low^ers them 
until palpably visible to all, that he has not in 
any way exposed them ? Does the fact of his 



PREFACE 7 

holding them alter the fact that they are 
exposed above the table ? No, it cannot. Unless, 
therefore, some other law distinctly says that 
cards in the hand, although exposed, shall not 
be liable to be called, they are clearly so liable. 

" I do not think that you, Mr. Editor, are 
casuistical enough to argue that Law 58 says as 
much. It certainly says the cards of the three 
players who throw down their cards can be 
called, whilst it does not say that the cards of 
the player who retains his hand can. As I said, 
it implies the contrary. At any rate, there is 
nothing like a clear statement, that so long as 
a player retains his cards, they cannot, even if 
exposed, be called. The object of Law 58 is 
not to define exposed cards, but to make it clear 
that so long as a man keeps his cards in his 
hand he has not abandoned the game. 

" But you will, I know, rely on Law 60, and 
because this law says that a card detached 
from the rest of the hand, so as to be named, is 
liable to be called, will argue that unless a card 
is detached it cannot be called. But this is poor 
logic ; the law says nothing of the sort, and the 
only implication it contains affecting the calling 
or non-caUing of any particular card or cards is 
that a detached card cannot be called unless 
named. 

"Let us for one moment consider the absur- 



8 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

dities to which your opinion would lead us. A 
player holding six cards detaches one, two, three, 
four, or five of theiBj and holding them in his 
other hand shows them to the players. It is 
clear that these are exposed cards, and can be 
called; but if he adds to the offence by showing 
all six cards together, none of them (so you say) 
can be called. Or if he shows all six of them, 
one by one, they can all be called ; but if he 
shows them together, they cannot. 

''Again, you have often held that when a 
player says, or even only necessarily imphes, 
that he has a particular card in his hand, the 
card so pointed out is constructively exposed, 
and consequently can be called ; and yet you 
say wdien he actually exposes that card with 
the rest of his hand it cannot be called. 

'^Whilst on this pointy 1 think you should 
let your readers know all your views about it. 
I therefore propose to put a few^ cases. A player 
at the end of the hand holds Ace and Queen ot* 
trumps and Ace of another sort. If he shows 
his cards, retaining them m his hand, you say 
they cannot be called : but if instead of showing 
them he says, ' I hold the Ace and Queen of 
trumps and Ace of spades,' can they be called? 
Will it alter the case if he only says, ' I have 
the Ace and Queen of trumps ? ' To be logical 
and consistent, you ought to decide, in the first 



PREFACE 9 

place, that none can }3e called, because none of 
the cards named are, as it were, detached from 
the rest of the hand (all being named.) In the 
second case you ought to decide [that tiie Ace 
and Queen of trumps are technically detached 
from the rest of the hand and consequently liable 
to be called if named. But would not such de- 
cisions be monstrous ? 

Further, will it make any difference if at 
the time of showing his hand the player says, 
' You see, I hold the Ace and Queen of trumps 
and Ace of spades. ' Is that enough to make 
them exposed cards, or must they be actually 
put down on the table ? If we are not to read 
the laws according to the plain natural meaning 
of the words, all the light you will vouchsafe to 
us will be most highly appreciated ; and for the 
future we will burn our copies of the laws, as 
only misleading, without the help of some one 
who, being behind the scenes, knows how to find 
in them a meaning directly opposed to what 
the words themselves would seem clearly to 
convey. " Mogul. 

" Sir,— In the Field of the 16th December 
there is a letter from the ingenious and argu- 
mentative ' ;\Iogul, ' wherein he, in his usual 
trenchant and uncompromising style, objects to 

a decision that appeared in your paper, because 
2 



10 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

it is, in his opinion, ' extraordinary. ' I am 
prepared to defend the opinion which he deems 
the most extraordinary ever given ; and, there- 
fore, I at once admit that the opinion he im- 
pugns is mine, was written after due dehbera- 
tion, and after consultation with several players 
of high repute. 

''The acute ' Mogul, ^ in his letter, pays the 
writer of the opinion in question the compliment 
of saying that he does not expect him to be 
casuistical enough to argue that a law which 
says a player retaining his hand does not 
abandon it means something else. So far he is 
right. I do not intend to use any such argument. 
' Mogul ' further on says he knows I shall rely 
on another law, w^hich says that a card 
detached from the rest of the hand is liable to 
be called, if named ; and that I may argue hence 
with poor logic, that unless a card is detached 
it cannot be called. Here, however, ' Mogul ' 
is wrong, as I do not intend to rely on the law 
which, as regards the case in dispute, he has 
been so kind as to demolish for me. ' Extra- 
ordinary ' as it may appear to ' Mogul, ' I 
am going to rely on expediency and common 
sense. 

''The question is, Can cards, not thrown 
down or detached, but merely lowered so that 
their faces may be seen, be deemed to be exposed 



pheface 1 1 

cards within the meaning of the law or not ? 
The law says : 

' ' The following are exposed cards : two or 
more cards played at once ; any card dropped 
with its face upwards, or in any way exposed on 
or above the table, even though snatched up 
so quickly that no one can name it. 

" It is with the meaning of the last sentence 
we have to deal. It says that an exposed card 
is a card in any way exposed, that w^e knew 
before. It does not define exposure ; it says, in 
effect, an exposed card is an exposed card ; and 
it adds, in effect, having exposed or dropped 
with its face upwards any card, you cannot 
cover the offence by snatching it up again. And 
what the law also says by implication is that if 
you do not drop a card or cards, but merely 
lower your hand without abandoning it, you 
may raise your hand to its usual position without 
penalty. 

The reason the law does not punish lowering 
of the hand is to my mind clear. To bring the 
offender within the pale of the law he must do 
some act which can be clearly and easily defined ; 
for instance, he must drop a card or he must 
detach a card ; these are acts about wiiich 
there can be no dispute as to fact. But when it 
comes to question at w^hat precise angle a man 
may or may not hold his cards (this question 



12 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

being involved in lowering the hand) the law 
wisely determines not to interfere. Imagine for 
a moment the rule to be, a player lowering his 
hand so that his partner can see it, is liable to 
have his cards called ; such a law^ w^ould give 
rise to endless disputes as to whether the hand 
was so low^ered that his partner could not see 
his cards. 

' ' On referring to the opinion already printed 
it will be found that I say ' a player may 
lower his cards &o that his partner can see them 
without a card penalty.' I wrote the words 
' without a card penalty ' advisedly. There is 
a penalty, and a much more severe one than 
any written penalty, for doing things which are 
irregular but which wTitten laws do not punish. 
The penalty is social excommunication. The 
penalty among club men is enforced first by the 
use of the ballot-box; and when that fails, by 
excluding the offender from the card-room, 
either declining to play with him (when, if he 
has any decency left, he will soon make himself 
scarce) ; or, as a final resort in aggravated cases, 
by expulsion from the club. I have dozens of 
times seen tables broken up because an objec- 
tionable player presented himself ; and it is well 
known that the play clubs of London have more 
than once been dissolved in order to get rid of 
black sheep. There are great difficulties in 



PREFACE 13 

turning a man out of a club ; if he does not 
choose to go, it is not easy to make him. and in 
practice it has been found the readiest way to 
dissolve the club, and to reform it immediately. 

'"Since the decision in the Field ]i3.s given rise 
to a protest from ' Mogul,' I have sought to 
strengthen my view by obtaining another 
opinion, that of ' J. C I know ' Mogul ' does 
not approve of my making a Whist pope of 'J. C 
I would therefore remark that, though in my 
judgment 'J. C is the first living authority on 
Whist law, I do not go so far as to say he is 
infallible. I have permission to print his 
opinion kindly given me, and jour readers, after 
reading it, will form their own vievv^s on the 
case of • Mogul' v, ' Cavendi^ih;' and 'J. C. ' 

''You ask my opinion as: c whether a player 
at Whist holding his hand sc low that it can be 
seen by the other players ia liable to have his 
cards called under the laws, \^hether directly or 
by implication, which affect exposed cards. 

"I was the chairman of the committee of 
gentlemen by whom these lavvS were framed, 
and am therefore in a position to know that it 
was not intended to treat as exposed cards a 
hand lowered as you describe. Whether such 
intention be right or wrong is another question, 
and one wh'rh T have always considered 
debatable. I was, however,' and am still of 



14 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

opinion that these cards should not be treated as 
exposed cards, for the following reason : — 

' ' When the law inflicts any penalty on an 
offence at cards, it is desirable that the act 
to be punished should be clear and beyond 
doubt. Thus, for example, throwing dow^n the 
cards on the table is an act as to which no dis- 
pute of fact can arise. So also is the case of a 
separated card : the fact of the separation is re- 
quired to be proved, and can be proved by the 
naming of the card separated. In the case of a 
'low'cred hand,' the question of degree is in- 
troduced — that is to say, how" much or how 
little the hand has been low^ered, and it is a 
question which it may be often very difficult 
to settle. Thus, a player may say to his op- 
ponent, ' I shall call your cards, for everyone 
can see your hand.' To which the reply may be, 
' My partner cannot ; why do you look over 
my hand ?' Indeed, in the old days of duelling, 
I recollect a serious quarrel resulting from the 
above occurrence. 

I may then be told that, whenever it is of 
great importance to a player that his partner 
should know his cards, and of no great con- 
sequence that they should be seen by his ad- 
versaries, he may by lowering his cards give 
this information and be subject to no penalty. 
But this is not so: There are many offences at 



PREFACE 15 

cards, and those the most serious, againts 
which no laws can be framed, because the 
offence is very difficult of proof, and because, 
if proved, the only proper punishment would 
be expulsion from the society in which it is 
committed. 

''A good instance of this class of offence is 
the player who looks over his neighbour's 
hand. What offence can be graver? Yet no 
penalty can be attached to it. . By inadvertence 
any man may once in a way direct his eyes to an 
opponent's hand ; but if he does it frequently 
you cease to play with him. 

To this class of offences, in so far as regards 
the imposition of a penalty, I consider the 
^ lowering of cards ' to belong. 

" I admit that much is to be said on the other 
side, and that few are more capable of saying it 
than ' Mogul,' who has, I see, addressed a letter 
to the Field on the subject. — J. C." " (Caven- 
dish.") 

To these opinions - the Editor of the West- 
minster Papers" makes the following reply : — 
' • We have to thank ' Mogul ' for so promptly calling 
attention to this decision. Its importance is our 
apology for transferring the correspondence 
bodily to these pages. It is somewhat curious 
to note that in all the cases in which we have 
differed from ' Cavendish' there is a principle at 



15 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

stake which 'Cavendish' fails to notice. The 
first principle in the construction of a law or a 
deed, an Act of Parliament or an agreement, is 
that under no circumstances can you leave out a 
word or phrase if the whole document can be 
made to read together. You cannot leave out 
a wor or a sentence except when two words 
or sentences contradict each other. Next, it is 
a truism to assert that the natural must be pre- 
ferred to the non-natural meaning. ' Cavendish' 
and Mr. Clay both violate these rules; they leave 
out the words ' in any way exposed above the 
table.' They do no profess to say that there is 
any contradiction in the phrases ' on or above 
the table.' They do not pretend that above 
the table is surplusage, and by all the rules of 
law they are bound to put a reasonable con- 
struction upon the phrases as they stand. To 
our thinking, exposing a card above the table 
can only mean placing a card in such a position 
that the partner may see it. The words ' in 
any way' clearly show that the law-makers 
had in their mind more than one way ; but 'J. 
and ' Cavendish ' do not admit even oneway. The 
words are sufficiently strong to cover the case 
of a card exposed by any agency above the 
table, to include, in fact, the tricks of Herr Frikel, 
the supernatural of Mr. Home, and the semi- 
scientific and supernatural of Mr. Serjeant Cox. 



PREFACE 17 

Mr. Clay introduces another subject. He was 
one of the committee who framed the laws, and 
he knows what the committee meant. No ar- 
gument can be more fallacious. Because an 
attorney draws a deed, it does not follow that 
the draughtsman has carried out the intentions 
of his client. The drawer of the deed is not 
vmder such circumstances the best judge of his 
own handiwork. Nor can any man speak with 
authority as to what a committee meant. This 
is perhaps not worthy of consideration, because 
whatever they meant, we can only judge of their 
views by what they have said, not by what they 
thought or what they intended to express. 

' ' ' Cavendish' again introduces another sub ^ 
ject, and, to our thinking, far too often. He is 
always finding out Whist offences that can bo 
only punished by social ostracism. This is a 
penalty that can be only used as a lasl; resource. 
In Whist communities no committee would 
eject a man for showing his cards above the 
table unless the object were to cheat ; and if the 
object in the case before us was to cheat, 
what becomes of ' Cavendish's ' argument as to 
social ostracism ? The object of Whist law, he 
has said, is not to prevent cheating; but does he 
mean that if a player cheated and won that the 
losers would be obliged to pay because the 
law is silent on the subject ? 



18 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

" The fact that ' Cavendish' consulted Mr. Clay, 
and that they both agree on the point at first 
sight, makes the decision of more importance 
than would attach to the judgment of either ; 
but reflection will show^ this is scarcely so. If 
' Cavendish ' had not a doubt on the subject he 
would not have gone to Mr. Clay. To our 
thinking, the matter is not to be decided by 
authority at all. In the construction of the 
English language there is no reason why 
Messrs. Clay and ' Cavendish' should be better 
judges than A., B., or C. ; and if the meaning of 
the words is to be ascertained by the ordinary 
principles of law, then we have show^n that 
these gentlemen have forgotten the first and 
most obvious principles'. 

There is no occasion to introduce the sub- 
ject of detached cards ; but assuredly it never 
was supposed that the detached card could be 
seen by the partner, or no distinction could have 
been made betw^een the detached and the exposed 
card. It is much better to keep at the point at 
issue, and that is simply, if A. shows his cards to 
his partner, has he, or has he not, exposed them 
on or above the table ? 

The argument that it is no Whist offence to 
show your cards to your partner because it is 
so difficult to define the offence, is merely 
begging the question. 



PREFACE 19 

It is of course easy to see that a player 
might so lower his cards that \ve might doubt 
whether he had lowered them so far that his 
partner could see them, but we are not on a 
question of difficulty of proof. The fact is ad- 
mitted ; and given the fact, we want the re- 
medy. We do not let the thief off because it was 
difficult to define his offence, and difficult to 
convict him. The point at issue appears to us 
entirely missed by both Mr. Clay and 
* Cavendish.' What is wanted is a defini- 
tion of a card exposed above the table, and here 
both these gentlemen are silent. We should 
have preferred to await for ' Mogul's ' reply 
before commenting on the subject, but we think 
our readers would have reason to complain if 
we did not protest at the earliest moment against 
this monstrous decision." 

It appears that ' Cavendish' is not the author of 
the rules published over his name, as the follow- 
ing answer to a correspondent proves. The 
President of the Washington Club having been 
requested by the Board of Directors to write to 
''Cavendish" and ascertain if he really gave the 
decision already quoted, and to inform him that 
in the meantime ' Cavendish's' rules had been 
declared as no longer authority in the club, 
received the following reply, published in the 
Field of March 30th, 1879 :— 



20 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

" W. P. E.— (1) It SO happens that ' J. C and 
^ Cavendish ' held precisely the same view with 
regard to lowered hands^ so that your change of 
authority is a case of ' Caelum non animam 
mutant.' Thearguments infavourof the decision 
that a lowered hand is not an exposed hand 
within the meaning of the law are very long 
and somewhat complicated, and we cannot spare 
space to reprint them. You will find them 
(with the contrary argument) in the Field of 
December 16, 23, and 30, 1871, and a continua- 
tion of the discussion in the Fie W of March 2 and 
30 and April 6, 1872. (2) ' Cavendish ' did not 
write the Laws of Whist, he only obtained per- 
mission to reprint them, as he might the Laws of 
Baccarrat of the Washington Club. Neither he 
nor any other individual has the po\ver to alter 
them. If they are obscure and difficult to 
interpret [which I fear is the case with some of 
them), that is no reason you should visit the 
vmfortunate copyist in question with your high 
displeasure." 

It may be the case that no one in the great 
metropolis of the world dare interpret and 
make clear what '^Cavendish" acknowledges may 
be obscure " and difficult to interpret " but 
there are some outside barbarians who have 
not the fear of the Arlington and Portland Clubs 
before their eyes, and who have to be informed 



phefage 2 1 

that the present \Vhist Laws are a part of the 
British Constitution or were enacted by Parlia- 
ment, or included in the Magna Charta granted 
by King John or Henry III. Neither do we 
find them in the Code Napoleon, nor are they 
mentioned in any Act of Congress, Reichstag, 
or Cortes. Then why are they unchangeable ? 
Echo answers why," and, receiving no other 
response, we propose trying our hand. 

A. Trump Junior. 

Nota Bene.— Tho author wishe to draw especial at- 
tention to ''J. C.'s " chapter on " The principle which 
should guide decisions/' exemplifying the consistency of 
that gentleman. Chapter V., page 109, says : "There is no 
object in a penally for an error by M'hich he who 
commits it canby nopossibilily profit. Thus Dummy's 
partner may, without being liable to any penally, ex- 
pose some or all of his cards." Now, why does Mr- 
Clay say Dummy's partner may without any card 
penally expose *'some" or ''all of his cards" if not to 
tell you that his adversaries nmy not ? and still ''J. C." 
says: — ''I was chairman of the committee of gentlemen by 
whom these laws were framed, and am therefore in a 
position to know that it was not intended to treat as ex- 
posed cards a hand lowered as you describe." 

''J. C." having committed himself once, is bound to stick 
to his assertions. This reminds us of the witness in 
Court who swore a horse was sixteen feet high, but during 
cross-examination said hands high; when informed of his 
error and that he had positively swore feet, said, '' Then by 
thunder I'll stick to it." 



INTRODUCTION 



Whist is so called because it requires silence 
or close attention : 

" The winds with wonder whist, 
Smoothly the w^aters kissed. " 

It is without doubt the first and most intel- 
lectual of all domestic g'ames. As no element 
of chance enters into Chess, strictly speaking that 
science cannot properly be called a game. But 
here, in addition to the chance involved, the 
intellect and skill of the player are brought into 
great demand. At Chess a single trial of skill 
maylast the entire evening, keeping the brainon a 
continuous stretch ; w hile at AYhist a hand lasts 
but a few minutes, and one may play fifty 
during the evening, none of which are at all 
alike, and all requiring active memory, close 
and keen observation, and sound judgment. 
Sometimes boldness and daring will carry the 
day ; while, on the other hand, caution evinced 
in forethought, and wisdom applied to practice, 
will be found more efficacious. 

In what other field can the means be found of 
judging so accurately of the human character? 



24 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

Here the true gentleman appears in his real 
element ; here may be compared the silence in. 
prosperity with the pretentious braggadocio of 
the winner, the kind forbearance to the faults 
of a partner, with the angry looks, the shruggini]: 
shoulders, and often the irritating remarks of 
the loser. In no place in the social circle nor 
in the free and easy haunts of Club life can one 
cultivate so well that equanimity so necessary 
to the polished gentleman as at the Whist table. 
Here good temper and moderation at the success 
of one's adversaries, a ready acknowledgment 
of errors with a calm and peaceful demeanour 
(no matter what the result! , will prove the true 
gentleman at all times. 

Whist has been the preferred pastime of the 
greatest men of modern days. The most pro- 
found philosophers, the greatest warriors, those 
who have attained the highest rank in the pulpit 
and at the bar, have made of Whist a favourite 
game. 

Men thoroughly opposed to gambling liave 
held Whist in high esteem, as the game is 
entirely unsuited for gambling purposes. Like 
Billiards, the game itself is of sufficient interest^ 
and the thought of gain rarely enters into the 
head of the scientific player. The game having 
become so popular among the higher classes in 
both England and America, it is much to be 



INTRODUCTION 25 

wondered at that there are so few good players. 
Parents obtain foreign professors to teach 
languages, dancing masters to teach dancing, 
that their children may shine in society, but 
never think that Whist should be learnt like 
other elegant attainments. The opportunities 
for speaking foreign languages and dancing do 
not occur every evening, but a person who has 
made the scientific game of Whist a study for 
only a short time will always be in demand, and 
will generally be considered a welcome member 
of society, 

3 



DIFFERENT GAMES OF WHIST 



There are five different games of Whist, viz : 

Long Whist ^ counting honours (now nearly 
obsolete) . 

Short Whist^ counting honours, as played 
in England. 

Short Whist ^ not counting honours, as 
played in America and many clubs of Paris. 

Diunmy Whist^ as played in France and 
in the United States. 

Double Dummy, Do. do. 

LONG VvHIST. 

Long Whist is the Whist of Hoyle, whose 
book appeared in 1743. Although Pope speaks 
of the gamesome thirty years earlier, it was 
not until the latter part of the 18th century that 
it was played as now, or that its theory was 
perfectly defined. 

The game is played with a complete pack of 
fifty-two cards, and consists of ten points. Each 
trick above six counts one point. 



28 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

The honours comprise Ace, King, Queen, and 
Knave of trumps, and are thus calculated : — 

One player, or one player with his partner, 
holding the four honours, score four. 

If they hold three honours, they score two. 

Holding tw^o honours, they do not score them. 
Players wdio are at the score of eight cannot 
count honours. 

The same rules are applied to this game as to 
the game of Short Whist without honours, 
which w'e give in detail. 

SHORT WHIST (counting honouks) 

This is the Whist now universally played in 
England, both in the clubs and in private circles. 
The game is the same as LongWhist, but consists 
of five points instead of ten ; each trick above 
six counting one point. Honours count the same 
as in Long Whist, viz,, four ; this is the great 
objection to the game. One hand may contain 
four out of the five points of which the game 
consists, consequently the element of chance 
may amount to four-fifths the entire game, 
leaving only one-fifth of the points to be acquired 
by play. Had the honours been cut in two 
wdien the game was divided, leaving three out 
of the five points to be obtained by skill, the 
gambling element in the composition of the 



DIFFERENT GAMES OF WHIST 29 

g^me would have been much diminished. It is 
for this reason that Short Whist without honours 
is preferred. Rubbers, or the best of three 
games, are usually played. The first two games 
being won by the same players, the third is not 
played. 

SHORT WHIST (not counting honours). 

This is the Whist of the " Washington Club" 
and of many other clubs of Paris, and, as 
played in America, honours do not count. The 
game consists of five points ; each trick above 
six counts one point. The rules are founded on 
the theory of combination, each player endea- 
vouring to play not only his own but his partner's 
hand — that is, playing, as it were, not only 
thirteen but twenty-six cards. 

This game is fast finding favour in the eyes 
of all good players, and members of the 
numerous London clubs who as visitors play 
Whist at the "Washington'' declare they much 
prefer it to the game with honours as played in 
London. 

DUMMY WHIST 

AS PLAYED IN FRANCE AND SOME PAETS OF THE 
UNITED STATES 

This higlily scientific game is almost universal 
in France. It involves a mode of play entirely 



30 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

different from ordinary Whist. Honours are 
not counted. Each player takes dummy in turn 
as partner. Each trick over six counts one. 

Either side making all thirteen tricks, counts 
a grand slam, " the winner or winners count- 
ing twenty points against each adversary ; 
but this slam does not affect the game being 
played. The game goes on as if no slam had been 
made. If the party making the slam makes 
more points in the following hand they are 
added to the slam ; if he lose, they are deducted. 

If either side makes five points over and above 
the first six, he goes out and counts (if his ad- 
versaries have made none) five for points, three 
for a treble, and four for game, or Consola- 
tion," equal to tw^elve points, w^hich are added 
to all the points he may have made in the pre- 
vious hand or hands. 

For example, one side has made four, the 
other nothing. Should the side w^hich stands at 
four make all but one trick, say six, after the 
original six, the score would stand four added 
to six, added to a treble, added to the four for 
game, or Consolation " would equal seventeen 
points. 

If the adversaries have made one or two, the 
winning side counts a double, or two ; instead 
of a treble, should they have made more than 
tw^o, a single, or one, is only counted. 



DIFFERENT GAMES OF WHIST 31 

The party who has Dummy for a partner 
naturally is paid double if he win and pays 
double if he lose. 

In some clubs the slam (French, chelem) is 
not counted ; in which case eighteen points is 
the most that can be won or lost in one game — 
viz., four previous hand or hands, seven tricks, 
a treble, and the " Consolation." 

In some parts of France Dummy is counted 
thus : — Single games without honours, each 
player takes Dummy in turn ; each trick taken 
counts one, and four for Consolation." If the 
grand chelem is made , the winner receives 
seventeen points from each adversary and the 
game continues ; if twelve tricks are made, the 
winner receives the value of sixteen points. In 
Dummy Whist, as played at the Washington 
Club, points are not counted as above, but counted 
the same as Short Whist, so much a game of 
five points. 

The rules of Dummy are the same as regular 
Whist with the following exceptions : 1. Dummy 
deals at the commencement of each game. 
2. Dummy cannot revoke, as each player must 
see that he plays correctly ; if he revoke, there is 
no penalty, and if the trick be turned and quitted 
the mistake cannot be rectified. 3. No penalty 
can be claimed from Dummy's partner for ex- 
posing any of his own cards or making any 



32 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

statement relative to the game, as his partner is 
blind and deaf, and can take no advantage of the 
same. 4. If Dummy's partners play from his own 
hand, when he should from Dummy's or vice 
versa, he is liable to have a suit called by his 
adversaries from the hand wliich should have 
played. Dummy cannot misdeal. 

DOUBLE DUMMY. 

Double Dummy is played by two players, each 
having thirteen cards exposed. The rules of 
the game are the same as Dummy Whist. 

There is no misdeal ; as the deal is a disadvan- 
tage, the points are counted the same as in 
Single Dummy. 



The first and most important point of Dummy 
Whist is to play through the strong, and up to 
the weak, suits. 

When it is the turn of Dummy's lefc-hand ad- 
versary to play, it is easily seen which are th^ 
w^eak suits of the exposed hand ; play those 
suits. When it is the turn of Dummy's right- 
hand adversary to play, he leads the suits in 
which Dummy is strongest ; by this method the 
large cards of both Dummy's adversaries are 
not sacrificed. 



DIFFERENT GAMES OF WHIST 33 

As it is easier to lead up to a weak hand than 
through a strong one, the better player of 
Dummy's adversaries should consequently sit 
at his right. 

There are naturally exceptions to the rule of 
playing through the strong and up to the weak. 
One player may be very strong in trumps and 
have long suits to bring in, and may play 
trumps, no matter w^hether Dummy is w-eak or 
strong in them ; in w^hich case he will have 
numerous opportunities of indicating that he 
wants trumps out, and to disregard rule. 



34 



THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 



TECHNICAL TERMS 



Ace second. — Ace with one other card, Ace 
third, Ace with tw^o other cards, etc. ; King se- 
cond, Queen second, etc. 

Establish. — A suit is estabhshed when your 
adversaries' and partner's hands are cleared of 
commanding cards, the best, or all, remaining 
in your hands of that suit. A player tries to 
exhaust the trumps for the purpose of bringing 
in or establishing his long suits. 

Conventional Sign — is a principle generally 
adopted and legahsed by practice for furnishing 
evidence to your partners of the existence of a 
peculiar hand, or suit ; thus, you signal your 
partner to lead trumps wlien you cannot get 
the lead yourself by discarding an unneces- 
sarily high card, and afterwards a smaller card 
of the same suit. You return the highest of a 
short suit and the lowest of a long suit, throw- 
ing away the highest of a suit of which you 
have the full command, etc. 

Discard. — The card you throw aw^ay or ecarte 
when you have none of the suit led. Your first 



TECHNICAL TERMS 35 

discard should always be from your weakest 
suit. 

False cards are cards thrown away, or 
played contrary to the rules of the game ; thus, 
throwing away a higher card than a lower of 
the same suit, when second to play and when 
you are not calling for trumps nor covering a 
high card, or in throwing away the highest or 
middle card of a sequence. You should always 
take with the lowest of a sequence and lead 
the highest. 

Playing false cards is a sure indication of a 
bad player, as it is of more importance to 
enlighten good partners than to deceive your 
adversaries. There may be cases, however, 
where your partner is hopelessly stupid ; then 
it is better to deceive two adversaries than 
uselessly try to inform one. 

Finesse or Finessing is an attempt to take a 
trick with a lower card than one or more in your 
hand, with the hope that the intermediate card 
or cards are with your right-hand adversary. 
For example, your right-hand adversary lead sa 
small card of any suit ; his partner plays the 
eight or nine ; it is taken by your partner, who 
returns it ; if your right-hand adversary play 
another small card, you finesse your seven or 
eight, knowing that your left-hand adversary 
could not play higher than the nine, or, holding 



35 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

the King*, Knave, ten, you lead the latter, it is 
taken by your partner's Ace. who returns the 
suit ; you finesse your Knave, judging that the 
Queen is not with your left-hand adversary, else 
he W'Ould have covered your ten. You thus make 
three tricks in the suit. 

Forcing^ means compelling your partner or 
your adversaries to trump a suit of which they 
have none. With a strong trump-hand yourself 
you force your partner or you take all op- 
portunities of forcing the strong trump-hand of 
your adversary. 

Gusirdecl is the second best card with a 
small one ; with a King second you are guarded 
against the Ace. The Ace being played, holding 
Queen and a small one, your Queen is guarded 
against the King. 

Hand, — The thirteen cards held by each 
player is the entire hand of each. 

Honours are the Ace, King. Queen. Knave of 
trumps, not used in ^Yashington Club Short 
Whist, but scmotimes applied to Court cards. 

King card is the best card remaining in 
each suit. 

Leciding-through and. Leading-iip. — You 
lead through your left-hand adversary and up 
to your right. You lead through a strong hand 
and up to a weak. 



TECHNICAL TERMS 37 

Long Trump or Trumps, — The last trump or 
trumps left in the hand. 

Long Suit. — A suit in which you hold more 
than three cards. 

Love. — The partners who have not scored 
are at the point of love. 

Long Cards. — Cards remaining of a suit in 
one hand when the rest have been played. 

Loose Card. — A card of no value. 

Leader. — The first person that plays in each 
round. 

To Make a card moans to win the trick. 

Master Card, or King Card, is the best card 
remaining of each. 

Points. — The score made by tricks. 

Plain Suits are the suits not trumps. 

Re-entry Card, is a card that by winning a 
trick will give you the lead and enable you to 
bring in your suit. 

Renounce. — A player holding none of the suit 
played renounces it. 

RevoP.c. — Holding a card of the suit played, 
and not following suit or playing it. (The penalty 
is severe.) 

Ruffing is trumping a suit of which you 
hold none. 

See-saw is when two partners ruff or trump 
each other's suits, leading alternately into each 
other's hands the suits they have renounced. 



38 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

Sequence. — Three or more cards that follow 
in regular order. Ace, King, and Queenarecalled 
tierce major. Ace, King, Queen, and Knave a 
quart major. Ace, King, Queen, Knave and ten a 
Quint major, etc. There are also intermediate 
sequences and subordinate sequences. 

The subordinate sequence is where you hold 
three or more cards higher or low^er, and the 
intermediate where you hold cards lower than 
a head sequence. 

Score is the points marked by counters. 

Slam. — One side winning all the tricks (only 
counted in Dummy Whist). 

Signal for Trumps. (See Conventional Signs.) 

Singleton. — One card only of a suit. Good 
players, with rare exceptions, lead a singleton as 
an original lead. 

Strong Suit, Strength, etc. — Strong suits are 
of two kinds ; one is numerically strong, as four 
or more small cards ; the other is strength of 
rank, like Ace, King, Queen. It is better, how- 
ever, to qualify them by using the term long 
suit and strong suit ; the former meaning 
numerical strength, the latter cards higher than 
the average. There may, however, be a com- 
bination of a long and strong suit in the same 
hand. 

Tenace is when the last player holds the 
best and tliird best in any suit. When holding 



TECHNICAL TERMS 39 

the tenace always endeavour to make your left- 
hand adversary lead up to you. 

Under-play . — The leader playmg a small 
card when he holds the best. For example, your 
left-hand adversary leads a small card of a suit ; 
his partner plays the eight ; you have the Ace, 
Knave, and two small ones ; you take with the 
Knave, and instead of leading your Ace you lead a 
small .one, inferring that your partner must hold 
either King or Queen, as, had the original leader 
held King and Queen, he would have led the King. 
This is a play that requires great judgment, 
especially in plain suits. 

"V^^ea/iness and Weak Suits. — The opposite of 
strength and strong suits. 



40 



THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 



THE ODDS AT SHORT WHIST 

The deal, by many good players, is not con- 
sidered any advantage, thinking the lead equi- 
valent to the trump turned. One to love, the 
odds are five to four ; two to love, five to three ; 
three to love, five to tw^o ; four to love, five to 
one. 



TIE EULES OF SHORT WHIST 

AS ADOPTED BY 

THE WASHINGTON CLUB 

MOSTLY COMPILED FROM 

DESCHAPELLES 

Who for over twenty years made this highly intellectual game 
a Study. 

The first 17 Rules are considered the "Etiquette'' 
of Whist in Clubs and Public Rooms, 

— — ;»<3SC> « ■ 

FORMATION OF TABLE. 

Rule 1. — A complete Whist table is composed 
of six players, who are selected by cutting; the 
first four players in the room having the prefer- 
ence, the four candidates who cut the two 
highest and two lowest cards play the first 
game ; the highest playing against the lowest 
(this obviates the necessity of cutting the second 
time). The player who cuts the lowest card has 
the first deal, with choice of cards and seats. 

Rule 2. — At the conclusion of the first game 
all four players again cut ; those two cutting the 

4 



42 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

highest cards retire and give place to the two 
candidates wdio originally cut next low^est. If 
there is only one candidate to enter, the highest 
retires. After the second game the two players 
who originally retired enter again. 

Rule 3. — When there are more than six can- 
didates and one of the players retires, the person 
who cut next lowest originally takes his place 
as one of the six. 

Rule 4. — When a table is not complete, new 
players take their turn in the order of their 
arrival; they must, however, on arriving, declare 
that they intend to enter. 

Rule 5. — When the dealer and his partner 
take their places, their adversaries may choose 
W'hat seats they please, without regard to the 
cards they drew^ Once seated at the table the 
places cannot be changed, nor can the cards be 
changed after they have been cut. 

Rule 6 — When fresh tables are formed, can- 
xlidates who have not played at any other table 
have the prior right of entry. 

Rule 7. — A player compelled to quit a table 
before the conclusion of a game may, with the 
consent of the other three players, give his hand 
to a substitute to play for him. If he has not re- 
turned at the end of the game his place may be 
taken by the next in succession. 

Rule 8. — Any player may withdraw^ from a 



scorinTt 43 

table on paying the amount of his own and 
partner's stakes. 

Rule 9. — Any player cutting in at one table 
whilst inscribed at another loses his turn at the 
latter, and must cut in as a fresh candidate. 

Rule 10. — Any player breaking up a table, the 
other three have a prior right of entry into any 
other, cutting for the right of precedence. 

SCORING. 

Rule 11. — The game consists of five points. 
Each trick above six scores one point. 

Rule 12. — If a player make a mistake in the 
score, and it can be proved prior to the termina- 
tion of the game, it may be rectified. 

Rule 13, — Should two partners insist in mark- 
ing the game, and any question arise, should 
their count not agree, their opponents may in- 
sist on which score they retain. 

Rule Ik. — Should either side mark points 
which they have not gained, or neglect to mark 
them, it shall be the duty of a bystander to men- 
tion the fact and have the error rectified ; on no 
other occasion can he interfere unless appealed 
to by the players. 

GUTTING. 

Rule lo. — The Ace is conventionally the 
lowest card in cutting. 



44 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

Rule 16, — All players must cut from the 
same pack. If two cards are exposed the player 
must cut again, putting to one side the exposed 
cards. 

Rulell, — If the cards are spread out upon 
the table the bottom and top cards cannot be cut. 
If cutting from the pack (when prepared by the 
dealer), the cut must contain four or more cards, 
and four or more must be left at the bottom. 

SHUFFLING. 

Rule 18, — Cards must be shuffled above the 
table in such a manner that their faces shall not 
be seen. It is only admissible to shuffle a fresh 
pack for the first time across the table. 

Rule 19. — It is the duty of the dealer's part- 
ner, and his only, to gather the cards and shuffle 
them for the next deal, placing them face down- 
wards at his right hand (left of the next dealer). 

Rule 20. — Each player has the right to shuffle 
the cards once (rarely done amongst gentlemen) , 
but the dealer has the right to shuffle last. Should 
a card be exposed when handing the pack to be 
cut, he is obliged to re-shuffle them if requested. 

Rule 21, — It is optional with the dealer, when 
the cards have been shuffled by his left-hand 
adversary, whether he re-shuffle them or not. 

Rule 22, — The shuffling of the other pack 



THE DEAL 45 

must be finished before tlie deal is completed; 
the cards must not then be touclied during tlie 
play of the other hand. 

THE DEAL. 

Rule 23. — The dealer (who may shuffle the 
cards or not) hands the pack to his right-hand 
adversary to cut, the deal going to the left ; each 
player deals in his turn, unless he loses the right 
by some violation of the rules. 

Rule 2k. — Should the dealer neglect to have 
the cards properly cut, his adversaries may 
demand a new deal any time before the first 
card is played. 

Rule 25. — If the cards are not properly cut, 
that is, if any card is exposed, if the cut or 
packet be misplaced, or if less than four cards 
be cut from the top or left at the bottom, there 
must be a new cut. (See Rule 17.) 

Rule 26. — The cards must be dealt to the 
left, one at a time : the last of the fifty-two cards 
coming to the dealer is the trump. 

Rule 21. — When a player has once cut the 
cards he cannot change his mind and re-shuffle 
or re-cut the pack. 

Rule 28. — Any player dealing out of turn, or 
with the wrong cards, and the error being unob- 
served until the trump card is turned, the deal 



46 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

Stands good, and the player who was passed 
loses his deal. 

Rule 29. — A player can neither deal nor cut 
for his partner without permission from his ad- 
\ersaries. 

Rule 30. — If during the deal the adversaries 
erroneously question the count, or claim that it 
is not the dealer s turn to deal, or interrupt him 
by any trivial questions foreign to the subject, 
if he make a misdeal he does not lose his deal. 

Rule 31. — Should the pack be found imper- 
fect there must be a fresh deal. The imperfec- 
tion affects only the hand being played. The 
previous games stand good. 

Rule 32. — The trump card must be left on 
the table until after the first trick be turned and 
quitted ; if left vmtil the dealer or his partner 
play the second time, it is liable to be called as 
an exposed card. Should it be taken up before 
the first trick be turned and quitted, the dealer 
may be called upon to show it ; and should he 
expose a wrong trump it also can be called. 
Should he forget the trump card his highest or 
lowest trump may be called any time during the 
hand if it does not make him revoke. 

NEW DEAL. 

^ Rule 33, — Should the dealer expose any card 
during the deal, his adversaries, if they have not 



NEW DEAL 47 

touched their cards, have the option of claiming 
a new deal, and reasonable time must be given 
them to consult. Should either of the dealer's 
adversaries expose a card, the dealer can claim a 
new deal. Should the dealer's partner have first 
touched his cards during the process of dealing, 
his adversaries may do the same without losing 
their right to claim a new^ deal if a card be ex- 
posed. 

Rule 54. — If a player take a card into his 
hand which belongs to another pack, his adversa- 
ries can claim anew deal, or not, at their option, 
except the error occur through the negligence 
of the dealer's partner, who may not have pro- 
perly collected the cards and placed them to the 
right ; in such cases there shall be a new deal. 

Rule 35. — If the dealer, while dealing, look at 
the trump card (or if it be seen in cutting) , his 
adversaries may claim the right to see it, and, if 
they think it advisable, demand a new deal. 

Rule 36.— There must be a new^deal if during 
the deal a faced card be found in the pack, or it 
be found incorrect, viz., with more or less than 
fifty- tw^o cards or with duphcate cards. 

Rule 37. — Any player has the right to caU 
for new cards at the commencement of a 
game. His paying for them, or not, depends on 
the regulations of the Club. 

Rule 38. — Should one player have less than 



48 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

thirteen cards, and discovers the mistake in time, 
there must be a new deal, and the missing card 
searched for. Should he have played to one trick 
the deal stands good, and unless the card be 
■found he is subject to any revoke he may have 
made on account of its absence. 

A mSDEAL. 

Rule 39. — A misdeal forfeits the deal. 
Should the dealer shuffle the pack after it has 
been cut by his right-hand adversary, he forfeits 
his deal. 

Rule kO. — It is a misdeal should the dealer 
give two or more cards wrong, or count the 
cards on the table, or the remainder of the pack 
in his hand ; his only recourse is to count, with 
his eye, if he can, the cards dealt, and continue 
his deal to the end; he may, however, correct his 
mistake by changing the position of one card. 

Rule 41. — It is a misdeal if the trump card 
does not come to the dealer. 

Rule 42. — It is misdeal if the dealer place the 
trump card face downward on his own or any 
other cards. 

Rule 45. — It is a misdeal if the cards are not 
dealt one at a time, beginning with the left-hand 
adversary. 

Rule 44.— Should the dealer's partner deal by 



CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR 49 

mistake and he makes a misdeal, he is hable for 
all the penalties of the same, and his left-hand 
adversary must next deal the cards. 

CARDS PLAYED IN ERROR. 

Rule 45. — If a player lead out of turn, his 
adversaries may either call a suit when it is 
his or his partner's turn to lead, but not after, or 
they may consider the card as exposed and liable 
at any time to be called. If a suit is called, the 
penalty is paid, and the card may be taken up; 
the offender, however, cannot be made to revoke. 
If a suit is called, none of which the player holds 
in his hand, the penalty is pai J, and he can play 
what card he chooses. 

Rule 46. — If a player lead out of turn, and 
the other three have also played, the trick holds 
good ; if, however, only the first, second, and 
third players have played and the error be 
detected, the second and third players may take 
back their cards without penalty. The offen- 
der is liable to the punishment mentioned in 
Rule 45. 

Rule 47. — Should a player lead out of turn 
and his partner only have followed, the adver- 
saries have the right to consult whether to 
call a suit or let the cards remain ; if a suit be 
called, the leader's penalty is paid, but his 



'50 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

partner's exposed card may also at any time be 
called. 

Rule k8, — Should the third player, play before 
the second, the fourth may play before the 
second, and should the fourth play before the 
second and third, the second may be compelled 
to take the trick or not. 

Rule kO. — Should a player in error trump a 
trick ^Yhen he can follow suit, and the mistake 
be discovered in time, his adversaries may take 
back their cards without penalty, and have the 
right to claim from the offender the highest or 
loW'Cst of the suit led, and may also call the ex- 
posed card at any period of the game. (See 
Rule 52.) 

Rule 50. — Should a party neglect to play to 
a former trick and do not discover his mistake 
until he has played to the next, his adversaries 
may consult wdiether or not they will claim a 
new deal. If not, the extra card remains in his 
liand, but no revoke can be claimed. 

EXPOSED CARDS. 

Rule 51. — All exposed cards can be called, no 
matter in what manner they are exposed — if 
dropped on the table, thrown on the tahle, or 
held above the table, detached or not detached. 
The only exception to this rule is w-hen a card is 



EXPOSED CARDS 51 

dropped on the floor, as then an adversary 
may see it, but it is next to impossible that a 
partner ever can. 

Rule 52. — Any player having played one or 
two cards, not of the suit led, and discovering 
in time that he has one of the suit, may be 
called upon to pkay the highest or lowest of that 
suit (take or not take), and the other card or 
cards are considered as exposed. Deschapelles 
insists that here is a double fault, and requires 
double punishment. 

Rule 53. — A player who has made himself 
liable to have the highest or lowest of a suit 
called, and who plays a different suit, 
having one of the kind called in his hand, is 
subject to the penalty of a revoke. 

Rule 54. — A player who draws out a card from 
his hand, detaching it from the rest of his cards, 
if it can be named, is liable to be called. If the 
person calHng it name a wrong card, the penalty 
is paid. 

Rule 55. — Two or more cards played at once 
are liable to be called, and the adversaries have 
the right of demanding or refusing their being 
played, or demanding that the highest or lowest 
in the suit led be played, or which card they 
accept to the trick. 

Rule 56. — Any card dropped on the table 
face uj) wards, although it be impossible to name 



52 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

it, is liable to be called ; the partner may see it, 
although the adversaries cannot. 

Rule 57. — A player whose turn it is to lead 
and who has an unplayed exposed card, must 
wait until the preceding trick be turned and 
quitted (the trick is not quitted until the fingers 
that turned it are removed from the top of the 
trick), otherwise the card played shall also be 
considered as exposed. 

Rule 58. — A player having an exposed card is 
at liberty to play what card he chooses if his 
right-hand adversary plays without calling it. 

Rule 59. — Any player having a suit called for 
and holding none of the kind, mayplay what card 
he chooses, as the penalty is then paid. The 
call for the exposed card can be repeated until 
it has been played. 

Rule 60, — If a player lead a wanning card, 
that is, better than any his adversaries hold, and 
then lead another and play several winning 
cards without waiting tor his partner or adver- 
saries to play, his partner may be called upon 
to take the first trick, and, whether he can or can- 
not, the others are exposed cards. It makes no 
difference whether he play them one after the 
other or throw them all on the table together; 
after the first card played, the others are exposed. 
(So much difficulty has been caused by reason 
of throwing down winning cards, creating 



EXPOSED CARDS 53 

discussion and confusion, that it has been con- 
sidered more expeditious and better to play 
the hands out, and to make the offender pay a 
penalty by calling his cards.) 

Rule 61. — If a player lead out of turn and 
play two cards, if his adversaries call a suit, the 
penalty for both exposed cards is paid. 

Rule 62. — If a player throw down his cards 
face upwards thinking the game is lost or won, 
his hand shall be considered as exposed, but his 
partner has a right to retain his cards and play 
out the game. 

Rule 63. — Any player who shall declare " I 
can take the rest," or " The rest are mine/' or 
intimate by signs that the rest are his, or that 
he has won the game, his hand shall be thrown 
down, and his cards called in any order his 
adversaries please. 

Rule 64. — Should all four players throw 
down their cards face upwards, supposing the 
game completed, unless a revoke be proven, the 
score must remain as it was when the hands 
were rehnquished. 

Rule 65.— If two players lead simultaneously, 
the party whose turn it was to play shall have 
tlie right of approving the card played, of consi- 
dering it an expose:! card, or calling for a parti- 
cular suit when it is the offender's or his part- 
ner's turn to lead. 



54 



THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 



THE REVOKE. 

Rule 66. — A revoke is when a player, having 
in his hand a card of the suit led, does not play it. 

Rule 61. — A revoke is complete when the trick 
has been turned and quitted— that is, the hand 
removed from the trick— or when the party who 
has revoked or his partner has led or played to 
the following trick. 

Rule 68. — If a player refuse to follow suit and 
his partner ask him, You have none of that 
kind? " or words to that effect; unless he reply 
in the negative the turning and quitting the 
trick does not establish a revoke . The revok- 
ing player's partner may reitirate his question. 

Partner you are sin^e you have none of that 
kind ? " and should the revoking player discover 
in searching that he could have followed suit, the 
error may be rectified and the card improperly 
played considered as exposed ; but, should the 
revoking player or his partner have led or 
played to the second trick, the revoke is es- 
tablished. 

Rule 69. — Any player having in his hand a 
card of the suit led and does not play it, if his 
partner ask him, ''You have none?" and he 
answers in the negative, and it is afterwards 
discovered that he has made a revoke, and the 



THE REVOKE 55 

game ])e then or afterwards lost, the revoking 
player must pay both stakes. (After long 
debate in the Washington Club it was decided 
almost unanimously that all players who have 
fulfilled their duty by asking their partners if 
they have none of the suit led, have an equitable 
claim on the revoking player for the amount of 
the stakes.) 

Rule 70. — Any player playing two or more 
cards to the same trick, if the mistake be dis- 
covered before the hand is played out the cards 
in each trick may be counted face downwards 
and the missing card restored to its owner, 
who is responsible for all revokes he may have 
made. If the hand be played out and the error 
then detected, he is also responsible for all 
revokes its absence may have caused. 

Rule 71. — If a player renounce a suit and 
discover his mistake before the trick be turned, 
he is only subject to the penalty described in 
Rule 49. 

Rule 72. — A revoke may be clainied the 
instant it is perceived, but cannot be es- 
tablished and counted until the hand has been 
played out. It is proved by pointing out the 
trick in whioh it v^'as made, but cannot be 
claimed after the cards are cut for a new 
deal. 

Rule 73.— Any player who in taking up his 



56 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

tricks mixes them indiscriminately, making 
the proof of a revoke uncertain, loses his right 
to claim a revoke, if the trick be in his own 
hand, and is condemned in case of dispute if 
the adversaries claim a revoke and the trick be 
also in his hand. 

Rule 74. — Any player charged with a revoke 
must not touch his tricks, the accuser only shall 
turn them over ; if he (the accuser) mixes them 
up in such a manner as to render proof difficult, 
he fails to establish the revoke; and should the 
accused player or his partner mix the cards in 
any way, the revoke is established. 

Rule 75, — Should revokes be made by both 
parties, neither can win the game ; each side is 
subject to the penalty, for the number it may 
have made up to four. 

Rule 16. — The penalty for a revoke may be 
exacted in one of the three following ways : — 

1. By adding three points to the score; or, 

2. By deducting three points from their ad- 
versaries' score ; or, 

3. By taking from them three of their 
tricks. 

This penalty must be paid for each revoke 
made during the hand. It cannot, however, be 
divided; that is, by adding two points to their o\^ti 
score and deducting one from that of their ad- 
versaries, or vice versa. 



GENERAL RULES 57 

Rule 77. — The penalty for a revoke is scored 
prior to the number of tricks made. 

Rule 78. — Should a revoke not be claimed 
until the hands have been all played and the 
cards thrown together, it cannot then be es- 
tablished. 

Rule 70. — When a revoke has been made, the 
adversaries of the revoking player have the 
right to consult what penalty they think best to 
exact. 

GENERAL RULES. 

Rule 80. — None but your partner has the 
right to ask you questions. 

Rule 81. — The following remarks, or those 
similar, are the only ones permitted during the 
play of the hands. If any others are made 
affecting the game, the adverse party has the 
right of demanding a new deal. Who dealt ?" 

What are trumps ?" Draw your card.'' 
"Place your cards." I think there is a 
revoke." " Partner, shall you or I exact the 
penalty?" Can you not follow suit ?" 

Rule 82. — When two partners have the right 

to claim one or two penalties, they must 

not consult wdiich penalty to exact, only in the 

case of revokes ; they have, however, the right to 
5 



58 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

decide which partner shall claim the penalty ; if, 
however, before deciding or after, either partner 
demand a penalty, the claim is decisive, and the 
question cannot again be opened. 

Rule 83. — Any player drawing his card or 
pointing it out to his partner before the latter 
has played, or who says ''It is mine," or 
words analogous, unless asked by his partner, 
the adverse party have the right to call on the 
offender's partner to take or not take the trick 
or demand a new deal. 

Rale 8i. — A player may ask at any time before 
the cards are touched to be gathered, that all 
the cards be placed. 

Rule 85. — No player is allow'ed to look at any 
of the tricks turned except the last. 

Rule 86. — No one has the right after the 
trump card is taken up to name its rank. Any one 
doing so, the adverse party have the right to 
demand a new deal. 

Rule 87. — If one side take up a trick or tricks 
belonging to their adversaries, the right to 
reclaim it holds good until the hand has been 
played out. 

Rule 88. — In cases of dispute which cannot be 
settled by the rules, a majority of thebystanders 
shall decide the question. Should there be no 
bystanders present, or should they not consider 
themselves qualified to act as umpires, the 



GENERAL RULES 59 

matter shall be referred to a committee of 
the club (if in a clubi, which shall have the 
power to decide all such questions. 

Rule 89. — If any bystander during the play of 
a hand make any remarks calling attention to 
any fault, or in any way affecting the game, 
vAth the single exception of correcting a wrong 
score^ he is liable to be called upon to pay all 
the stakes or bets on that game. 

Rule 90. — If during the deal the cards become 
disordered through the fault of either side, a 
new deal may be claimed. If the fault proceed 
from one side only, the adverse party have the 
choice of retaining their hands, correcting the 
error or demanding a new deal. 

Rule 91. — The game is completed when one 
side having gained it without dispute the cards 
are thrown together on the table. 

Rule 92. — Bystanders shall neither have the 
right to walk around the table looking at the 
different hands, nor to ask any questions relative 
to the state of the game . 

R.ule 93. — Any player intentionally destroying 
the cards must call for new packs at his cost. 

Rule 94. — Xo player has any right, by word, 
look, or gesture, to give any intimation of the 
state of his hand ; neither must he detach a 
second winning card from his hand before his 



69 THE RULES OF SHORT WHIST 

partner has played to the first, intimating 
thereby that the first was a winning card. 

Rule 95. — Should any question arise in regard 
to the application of any of the above rules, or 
should any player feel himself aggrieved on ac- 
count of the difference between them and any 
other written rules, the case shall be submitted 
to the committee of the club (if in a club), 
and the committee's decision shall be held 
binding. 



MAXIMS AND 

FOR 

STUDENTS AND 



ADVICE 



BEGINNERS 



Before playing, sort your cards carefully and 
count them, because if you should have less 
than thirteen cards and have played once, you 
are liable to the penalty of a revoke on account 
of the absence of that thirteenth card. (See 
Rule 38.) This is a most important matter. 

Examine the strength of your hand, which 
are your best and longest suits, the number and 
quality of your trumps, the score of the game, 
and form your plan of attack or defence, as the 
case maybe; after which watch the cards as they 
fall on the table, never looking into your own 
hand except wlien it is your turn to play. By 
adopting this course you can calculate nearly 
how many cards of each suit are in the hand of 
each player, and you avoid the obnoxious habit 
of some players, who, in always looking at their 
own hands, are compelled every time it is their 



62 MAXIMS AND ADVICE 

turn to play to exclaim, Gentlemen, draw your 
cards." Having once played your card and 
being in the act of solving some nice problem, 
you are annoyed by being requested to play the 
same card a second time. When playing with 
people of this habit, place your card immediately 
in front and close to your own side of the table, 
it is then properly placed, and you need not 
touch it at the command of Draw" or Place 
your cards." 

Avoid as much as possible any regular man- 
ner of assorting your different suits. Change 
frequently the position of your trumps as there, 
are people who, intentionally as well as unin- 
tentionally, acquire information of the state ot 
your hand in consequence of always putting 
your cards in the same place. 

Carefully observe the different systems of 
players. Some, wdien a forced lead is necessary, 
with an Ace and one small card of the same suit, 
will lead the Ace first, some the small one (the 
Ace is the proper play) ; if you are sitting to the 
left of the leader with the King second, you may 
obtain by close attention information which 
will be of great advantage to you in deciding 
which card to play. 

Attain as early as possible a knowledge of the 
general system of Scientific Whist, that is, by 
playing in th3 simplest manner according to 



FOR STUDENTS AND BEGINNERS 63 

rule, never considering your own hand separate 
from that of your partner's, each party playing 
twenty-six cards instead of thirteen ; both hands 
combined as if they were one, each associate 
giving the fullest information to each other 
with regard to the state of his hand, as it is a 
general rule that it is better to inform your 
partner than deceive your adversaries. There 
is, however, an exception to this rule. If for- 
tune associates you with a partner who is ut- 
terly ignorant of rule, the information you 
would give the practised player would be ut- 
terly thrown away upon him, in which case do 
the best to deceive your adversaries. The mu- 
tual information principle, however, is that 
which is most highly recommended and that 
which is now practised by all first-class players. 

There are three systems mostly in use. The 
first and best is leading from and establishing 
your long suit ; the second, the playing of 
master-cards, and the third leading from 
siniz-letons and short suits, for the purpose of 
rufBng with trumps. 

All good players of Modern Whist commence 
with their long suits, keeping their Ace and 
Kings, when trumps are exhausted, to bring 
them in. The badly educated adopt the second 
and third systems, leading out their Aces and 
Kings or their short suits ; consequentlyj before 



64 MAXIMS AND ADVICE 

the hand is half played out they are stranded high 
and dry, completely at the mercy of their ad- 
versaries. If your partner is a good player 
your first lead is of the utmost impor- 
tance to him, as it is the first intimation he 
has of the state of your hand ; he will also be 
able to judge by the card you lead whether you 
have led from numerical strength or from 
strength in master-cards . You may have led from 
four, five, or six small cards of a suit, or from 
three master-cards and one small one. There are 
writers who object to the long suit system, but 
there can be no question that four times out of 
five, if your opening suit be your long suit, you 
will be the gainer in the end and will have 
properly played. 

As mentioned above, the leading out or open- 
ing the game with master-cards is impolitic, 
especially if you hold but few, as they are oi 
immense value in giving you additional leads 
when the game is further developed. 

The third system, that of leading from sin- 
gletons and short suits, for the purpose of ruffing 
(the most debasing use to which a trump can be 
put), has this great objection : after the first ruff 
you are detected, and often before, as in a few 
games your system is known when your ad- 
versaries, by leading trumps, bring in their long 
^uits of which you were short, and your game is 



FOR STUDENTS AND BEGINNEKS 65 

lost. You are naturally not compelled to follow 
up your opening suit, should circumstances arise 
requiring a change of play. Your master-cards 
will always make tricks, and if you are short in 
a suit, ruff it when it is led by your adversaries, 
and you have reason to think the trick cannot 
be taken by your partner. 

All long suits are led from their highest or 
lowest cards, with two exceptions — viz., with 
King, Knave, ten, and others, the Knave is led 
in trumps and the ten in plain suits ; and with 
the Ace, King, Queen, and small ones, or with 
the Ace, King, and Queen alone, the King is 
played first, then Queen, then Ace. 

If your partner refuse to trump a certain 
winning card, he must be strong in trumps 
or have none at all ; in such cases lead trumps 
the first time you get the lead. 

If you are weak in trumps (three or less), 
trump an uncertain trick ; in addition to secur- 
ing the trick you convey the valuable informa- 
tion to your partner that you are weak in trumps. 
If you are strong, pass an uncertain trick. 

Never force your partner unless you are 
strong in trumps (four or more), or unless you 
can obtain thereby a double ruff, or, if he has 
taken the force once and has not led trump, or 
unless to win one or two tricks to make or save 
the game. 



MAXIMS AND ADVICE 

If strong in trumps, discard your adversaries' 
suits ; if weak in tiiem, keep a guard on them as 
long as possibie, but let your first discard be 
from your weakest suit. 

If your partner is a good player and purposely 
forces yoUj take the force ; he must be strong 
in trumps and responsible for the game; if he be 
a bad player, you must act as your hand dictates. 

Avoid playing a suit from which your partner 
has first discarded ; he has told you plainly that 
he has no strength in it. 

Be particular in remembering the trump card, 
and when taken into your own hand keep it as 
long as possible, following suit with cards next 
in order above or below its value. 

If your partner refuses to follow suit to a card 
led, be particular in asking him if he has none 
of that kind ; should he revoke, and you have 
failed to ask him, the fault is as much yours as 
his. 

Never plsiy false cards is a general rule; 
there are cases, however, w^lion this rule may be 
disregarded, as all rules may, on exceptional 
occasions, viz., w'hen you are satisfied that, no 
matter what you play, your partner cannot be 
affected. If, for example, the first player lead a 
ten of spades, the head of a long sequence, and 
you, the second player, hold Ace, King, Queen, 
and Knave, you would be perfectly j stified in 



FOR STUDENTS AND BEGINNERS 67 

taking the trick with the Ace, if strong in 
trumps ; the first and third players would not 
play it again, thinking you had no more ; your 
partner would not lead it, for the double reason 
that it must be a short suit with him, and he 
could not force you, because he must be short 
in trumps if you are long : the consequence 
w^ould be that your adversaries would fall 
into the trap by leading trumps, thinking to 
make their long suit in spades. Again, there 
are occasions when to play correctly you must 
play false cards. Suppose the Queen is turned 
and the first player holds Ace and three small 
trumps, with good suits; he consequently leads a 
small trump; his partner, the third player, holds 
King, Knave, ten, anda small one ; he takeswith 
King, and instead of playing his small one, which, 
according to rule, would be the correct play, 
he supposes correctly that his partner holds the 
Ace and plays the Knave, which draws the 
Queen, which falls to the Ace, and four rounds 
of trumps are secured. 

There are other cases, such as when, being 
fourth player, you take a trick with a higher 
card than is necessary, because, w^hen played up 
to, you are in a better position ; but great care 
should be taken not to deceive your partner, 
unless it is to the positive benefit of the com- 
bined hands. 



68 MAXIMS AND ADVICE 

With these exceptions, the general rule ouprht 
to be followed, especially in the management of 
your small cards. Never, under any cir- 
cumstances, throw away a three if you hold the 
two ; it makes no difference to you, but it may 
deceive your partner and it is an inexcusable 
fault. 

Never trump an uncertain card if strong in 
trumps, nor omit to do so if weak in them. The 
player has a double advantage in following this 
course; viz., if the best card of the suit played 
lies with his partner, a useless trump may 
obviate the necessity of his playing it, while 
your partner will know that you are weak in 
trumps and play accordingly. This is a maxim 
W'hich should be strictly adhered to. 

Never trump a thirteenth card second hand if 
strong in trumps, but always if weak. 

Keep the commanding card of your ad- 
versaries' suit as long as possible ; but, on the 
contrary, be careful in not keeping that of your 
partner's, as you might be compelled to stop his 
suit. That is one of the reasons why when you 
take the first trick of your partner's suit you 
return the highest, if you originally held but 
three. 

It is one of the universal maxims of Whist to 
force the strong hand in trumps, but never both 
adversaries, as the weak will trump and the 



FOR STUDENTS AND BEGINNERS 69 

strong throw away losing cards ; this must be 
carefully avoided. If you are weak and your 
adversary who is strong has none of your prin- 
cipal suit, force him every time you got an op- 
portunity ; if his partner follows suit, that is 
the surest way of destroying his strength. 

With Ace and three small trumps never win 
the first or second lead of trumps ; throw away 
losing cards, as, if the trumps are equally 
divided, you are left with the lead in the last 
round, and the thirteenth trump, which may be 
used against your adversaries with fatal effect 
in bringing in your long suits. 

If either of your adversaries trump your long 
suit, and you require two leads of trumps to 
exhaust them, when you get in, if you hold the 
Ace and others in trumps, lead first your Ace, 
then another, no matter what your other trump 
may be. 

If you win your partner's lead cheaply, say 
with the Knave or Queen, unless in trumps, do 
not return the lead, as your right-hand adversary 
evidently holds the tenace, with the Ace or 
King. 

If with a very strong suit and a medium hand 
in trumps you lead trumps hoping your partner 
mxay be strong in them, lead first your strong 
suit to show your partner, then continue with 
trumps. If strong in trumps, lead them first. 



70 MAXIMS AND ADVICE 

The author agrees with Mathews, who thinks 
the first object should be to save the game if it ap- 
pears in probable clanger ; the next to win it if you 
have a reasonable hope of success by any mode 
of play, though hazardous. There are, however, 
many eminent Whist-players who never think 
of saving the game until they find they cannot, 
win it. We have heard strong argument on both 
sides of the question, and must leave the decision 
to the ability and dash of the different players. 

It is a very nice point, if strong in trumps and 
you hold the commanding card or cards of your 
adversary's suit, to force your partner with the 
small cards of his suit, keeping the commanding 
card or cards until the last. 

If holding five or more cards in a suit, with 
King, Queen, and Knave, it is best to lead your 
Knave for the purpose of drawing the Ace from 
your adversaries or partner, and at once obtain- 
ing command of the suit. 

The general rule is, when you return your 
partner's lead, if you have but three you return 
the highest, and if four you return the lowest. 
There are exceptions, however, to this rule. 
Should your partner lead from a long suit and 
you hold Ace, King, and two small ones, you 
take with the King and return the Ace, else 
your partner, thinking the Ace may lie with 
your right-hand ad versary, may finesse a small 



FOR STUDENTS AND BEGINNERS 71 

card. With this exception, the rule should be 
strictly followed, as, next to a signal for trumps, 
it conveys to the fullest extent the state of your 
hand in any particular suit. 

Suppose, being third player, you take the first 
trick with the Ace ; you have of that suit left 
the five, four, and three ; you return three ; the 
next time the suit is led you play the four. Your 
partner should then know that you still hold 
another in that suit ; had you but two left 
you w^ould have returned the four instead of the 
three. This legal communication between part- 
ners is most essential to the combined game, as 
the giving and obtaining information of this 
nature is most important and its practice one 
of the principal traits of the finished player. 

ASKING FOR TRUMPS. 

The conventional signal of asking for trumps 
has been in universal use in England for the 
last forty years ; it is but little used in either 
France or the United States, and as it cannot be 
prohibited, as many first class American players 
think it ought to be, the only safety is in ac- 
quiring a knowledge of the signal, because if 
you have a partner w^ho does not regard this 
sign and are playing with adversaries w ho do, 



Tl MAXIMS AND ADVICE 

you and your partner will be labouring under a 
decided disadvantapre. There is nothing unfar 
in the sign, and it must in time come into uni- 
versal use. The signal is mostly called "Blue 
Peter and consists in discarding a high card on 
the first lead and afterwards a lower one ; great 
care, however, must be taken that the card thrown 
away is an unnecessarily high card. For ex- 
ample, if the leader plays a small card and your 
partner puts on the nine, or ten, that is not an 
unnecessarily high card, and would not be a 
legitimate call for trumps, because with the nine, 
ten, and a small one, the nine would be the 
proper card to play secondhand for the pur- 
pose of trying to take the trick. The card led 
should be higher than that which your partner 
plays to constitute a regular call for trumps ; 
for instance, the leader plays a nine, your 
partner the seven or eight, and afterwards the 
six, five, or a smaller one, that is a legitimate call 
for trumps. The success of the modern game, 
or long suit system, depends greatly on the ex- 
traction of trumps as early as possible in the 
game ; consequently, if you have a long suit and 
are strong in trumps, if you cannot get the 
lead you must signal to your partner to lead 
trumps, when it is his imperative duty to lead 
them, if he has any; he must abandon his own 
game and play entirely into your hand, as you 



FOR STUDENTS AND BEGINNERS 1?> 

have plainly told him ''I am strong and re- 
sponsible for a large score, and it is for our 
mutual benefit that you throw your entire 
strength into my hand." There is a great res- 
ponsibility affixed to the player who calls for 
trumps ; he should at least have five, and one or 
two long or good suits ; it* he holds good cards in 
the other suits he can himself early get the lead. 

When your partner calls for trumps, lead the 
best in your hand; if that takes, lead the next 
best and continue. 

It has been considered by some Americans 
and Frenchmen that it is unfair to use the con- 
ventional signal for trumps ; but no reason can 
be shown why it is more unfair than leading 
King, Queen, Knave, telling your partner you 
still hold the Ace, or to discard an Ace, which is 
telling him you hold the best cards in that suit. 
You return your partner the highest of a short 
suit, that is telling him you have only three or 
less. If third player when you hold the King 
and Queen, you take with the Queen, that is 
clearly saying to your partner, ' ' I have not the 
Knave, and may have the King." 

English whist-players, when visiting Paris 
clubs, generally ask the question, ''Do you play 
Blue Peter ?" If the response is in the negative, 
as a matter of honour they do not signal for 
trumps with one another. 

6 



74 MAXIMS AND ADVICE 

A great advantage in drawing trumps early 
in the game or showing your pai^tner that you 
are strong in them is that he will keep his strong 
suit entire; otherwise, if he thinks the adversaries 
are strong in trumps he will throw away the 
weak cards of his own suit to keep the guard of 
the adversaries' strong suits. 

To acquire a knowledge of the strength of a 
suit led by your partner, notice especially if he 
lead the larger or smaller card first. For in- 
stance, it' he leads a seven and after that a six he 
has made a forced lead and is weak, but if he 
plays first the six, then the seven, he may be 
moderately strong in the suit; the same with any 
other card. 

If you have the last trump and one losing card 
with several winning cards, play first your losing 
card, as your left-hand adversary may finesse, 
and second best in your partner's hand win, 
thus maldng all the remainder of the tricks. 

If your partner discard the best of any suit it 
is to inform you that he holds the best cards in 
that suit, but if he discards the second best it 
tells you plainly he has no more. 

In playing for the odd trick violation of esta- 
blished rules is often justified; you may lead 
singletons, force your partner when weak in 
trumps, refrain from leading trumps when 
strong in them, avoid finessing and play in a 



FOR STUDENTS AND BEGINNERS 75 

manner that skill, experience, and attention will 
dictate. 

When your adversaries' trumps are exhausted 
and the remainder are divided between you and 
your partner, if you have no winning cards in 
other suits, play a small trump to put your 
partner in, that he may lead and give you the 
chance to throw away your losing cards. 

If towards the close of the hand, and most of 
the trumps have not been played, should your 
partner play a thirteenth card, his object, if 
he play correctly, is that you should cover it 
with a high trump to strengthen his hand. 

If playing with a beginner, or poor partner, 
avoid giving advice or finding fault during the 
play of the hand, as it only confuses him and 
does more harm than good. On the other hand, 
avoid if possible playing with those who pretend 
to instruct and find fault while the hand is being 
played ; they are generally ignorant and judge 
from consequences. 

There are players who invariably at the end 
of a hand commence with ' ' If you had played 
such and such a card, " we could have 
saved," or ''won the game./' or made another 
trick," etc., etc., and although they may not mean 
it, they say it in a fault-finding tone, which leads 
bystanders to suppose that their partners have 
played improperly and offends their amour 



76 MAXIMS AND ADVICE 

jrropre. If remarks 77iu5^ be made, it is just as 
easy to be polite and preface them \vith " If by 
chance you had played so and so, I do not say 
it would have been the correct play, but if you 
had it would have made some difference."^ 

When you cut in with a poor player do not 
assume a resigned and gloomy expression of 
countenance, for it will certainly call up an 
exultant smile on the faces of your adversaries, 
which, if your partner can see anything, is: sure 
to render him either angry or, if he be modest, 
unfit to exercise the little skill with which he is 
possessed. 

When sitting down to play with strangers, be 
certain you demand which are the winning seats 
and winning cards, and if you have the choice 
take them ; if you lose the first round get up and 
turn your chair round three times, then cross 
vour leirs, and if either of vour adversaries turn 
a black deuce, be certain vou lean forward and 
touch it before the dealer can; these signs will at 
once convey to your partner the knowledge 
that you are deep in the game (*). 



(*) When Artemus Ward wote '' The proprietors of the 
Washington hotels are the politest people on record," 
he added a note, Thisis sarcasm.'' 



THE ORIGINAL LEAD 



The original lead is of vital importance in the 
^ame of Whist, as it gives the leader's partner 
the earliest information of the cards the leader 
holds ; it is also of great advantage because it 
opens up the long suit of the leader, and gives 
him the best chance of establishing it if trumps 
are equally divided ; it informs his partner what 
suit to return when he has led or exhausted his 
own long suit. 

It also is of great advantage because he can 
exhaust or lead trumps before his best cards can 
be ruffed, and it forces out the commanding 
cards of that suit held by the adversaries, who 
wish to enter to play their own strong cards, or 
it takes out their trumps, which gives the leader 
and his partner a numerical strength in trumps 
over their opponents. 

It often occurs that a player holds a long suit 
in trumps and one long plain suit ; if he have 
the lead, the chances are he wins the game before 
his adversaries can enter to play their master 



78 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

cards, which otherwise would have compelled 
him to ruff, spoiling his chance of making the 
game. 

Tlie theory of Scientific Whist compels you 
to lead from your longest and strongest suit, 
and this is the generally adopted rule by all first- 
class players — that is, in plain suits, with four 
trumps; it is only justifiable by considerable 
strength in other suits. If you have a long suit 
to bring in and four trumps it is best to show^ 
your partner your long suit before leading 
trumps. 

It is sometimes difficult to decide between five 
small cards in one suit and four strong ones in 
another ; either is justifiable, depending on the 
state of the game. In case, however, of four weak 
ones and three strong ones, the lead of the 
former is imperative. There are occasions when 
your longest suit is trumps and you do not 
deem it prudent to lead them, wdien your partner 
cannot enter and when forced leads become 
necessary, say a lead from tw'o cards ; in such 
cases you should lead the higher. 

AVith a short suit of trumps the first player is 
hardly ever justifiable in leading them, and it is 
only excusable in holding master cards in all 
the other suits, because, if your adversaries hold 
the long suit of trumps and one long plain suit, 
you are simply playing their game. 



THE ORIGINAL LEAD 79 

Never under any circumstance lead a single 
high trump until you know whether your 
partner or adversaries are longest in them; if the 
latter, you are also playing their game ; if your 
partner is longest, the play is correct. 

With Ace, King, Knave, and three small 
trumps, lead the King, then Ace ; the chances are 
the Queen falls to the Ace, but if you hold Ace, 
King, and four small ones begin with a small 
one ; if the second player holds the Queen, the 
chances are he will pass it and your partner's 
Knave may win the trick, and the Queen will be 
likely to fall on the third lead of trumps ; then 
your partner may hold the Queen when your 
trumps suit is established. 

With King, Queen, and two or more small 
trumps, lead the lowest, but in plain suits lead 
the King and if that passes follow with a small 
one, with King, Queen, and one other. Unless 
this lead is forced upon you it is better to await 
a lead of that suit, as you will, three times out 
of four, make both your King and Queen. 

If you have a long or strong hand in trumps, 
it modifies in a great measure the lead in other 
suits. For example, with Ace, King, and three 
or more small ones of the same suit, if you wish 
to establish that suit surely, lead first a small 
one, then, on your partner's return, the Kingand 
Ace will draw the others of that suit, but if you 



80 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

are not strong in trumps and your game is in 
any danger, you run the risk of having your 
long suit ruffed, for which reason it is better to 
make your winning cards early and run the 
chance of estabhshing your suit later. In trumps, 
however, the small card is the correct play, and 
in other suits when the trumps are exhausted. 

With a sequence of the Queen, Knave, ten, 
and others, commence with the Queen, which 
vjill almost certainly force out the Ace or King, 
or perhaps both, as the second player may cover 
with the King and your partner with the Ace, 
leaving you with the entire command: if the 
Queen passes, lead the Knave. 



LEADS 



The general rule is to lead from the highest 
or lowest of a long suit, but there are some ex- 
ceptions, the principal of which is, when holding 
king, knave, ten, and others, if the suit is trumps 
the knave should be led, if plain suits the ten. 
Most English players lead the ten, whether 
trumps or not, to distinguish it from knave, ten, 
nine suit. 

With ace, king, and two or more small ones, 
not being trumps, lead king; should your 
partner's knave fall lead small one, that he 
may make his queen or a small trump. 

It is a fatal error to lead trumps because your 
adversaries are four and you have a poor hand ; 
play the correct game, as you otherwise may 
jeopardise your partner's hand. Nor lead a 
trump through an ace or king turned up at 
your left ; nor refrain from leading because an 
ace is turned up at your right. The value of 
cards is relative ; if your partner's king falls to 
the ace, the queen in your hand is just as 
good. 



82 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

If you have a miserably weak hand, poor in 
all suitSj lead the nine (if you have it) of your 
longest suit, which will at once convey to 
your partner the knowledge that you have 
nothing in any suit, or you have led it as 
the lowest of a sequence up to the king ; 
the chances are the cards in his own hand 
will tell him which, or he will know at once by 
the card you play on the return lead. 

If to the best card of your long suit either of 
your adversaries throw aW'ay a losing card of 
another suit, and you hold the best of the suit 
discarded, play it at once, before continuing your 
suit. 

With king, queen, knave, and two or more, 
lead knave. 

With knave, ten, nine, and others, lead the 
knave; the return lead will demonstrate what you 
led from. 

Long sequences, lower than ten, are com- 
menced with the lowest card. 

If from circumstances you are compelled to 
make a forced lead, say with three or less, lead 
the highest. With queen, knave, and one small 
card, lead the queen ; with queen, knave, and 
two or more small ones, lead a small one. 

If however with the queen, knave, and others 
you hold the nine, many good players argue 



LEADS 83 

that you should lead the highest and finesse 
your nine on the return lead. 

With knave, ten, and two or more small ones, 
lead a small one. 

With ace and three or four small ones lead a 
small one; with more than four lead tlie ace, to 
prevent its being trumped second round. With 
king and three or more small ones lead a small 
one, or with queen or knave and three or more 
small ones, lead a small one. 

With four, five, or more small cards, lead the 
smallest. If you hold the ace, king, queen, 
or ace, king, queen, knave of any plain suit, 
commence with the king, and continue with 
the queen, knave. Your partner will always 
be certain where the ace lies, and no good 
player would trump your king led ; this 
conveys useful information, especially if you 
change the suit. 

With king, queen, knave and ten lead your 
ten to force out the ace from your adversaries, 
or make your partner play it that you may 
remain with your suit established. 

With ace, queen, knave, and others, lead the 
ace, then queen. If your partner holds the king 
he should play it on your queen, so as to give 
you the command of the suits. Some players 
play ace, then knave, that their partner may 
cover the knave with the king. 



84 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

The lead in trumps varies but little from the 
lead in plain suits. In trumps the play is rather 
more backward; unless you have sufficient trumps 
to divest your adversaries of all power at once, 
the play is the lowest from four, five, or six. 

With ace, king, and five other trumps lead 
the king, then ace ; with less than seven, 
lead the smallest. Sometimes, however, the 
state of the game may render it necessary to 
lead trumps two or three times, in which case 
play king, ace, and a small one. 

With ace, king and a forced lead, lead ace, then 
king. Your partner should understand you have 
no more, and that this is not, as some players 
pretend, a call for trumps. 

Avoid leading from a singleton. You are 
always suspected by your adversaries, and your 
partner can never tell whether you are long or 
short in the suit ; he may be long in trumps, 
draws them out, and returning your suit finds 
that he has established a long suit in the hands 
of his adversaries. 

If your partner has been forced by any of your 
long suit leads, continue to force him, if he has 
taken the force and has not returned trumps. 

With two or three long trumps left in your 
hand and without any knowdedge of your 
partner's best suits, lead one of your trumps to 
see what suit he discards. 



SECOND HAND 85 

If with the ace, king, and knave in your hand 
you lead the king and stop, your partner must 
understand that you hokl the ace and knave; the 
latter you wish to finesse, supposing the queen 
to be held by your right-hand adversary. 

Some first-class players in the original lead 
call for trumps because they wish them led by 
their i^^^rtner ; thus with ace, king, and a small 
one of a plain suit, they lead the ace, then king, 
and then the small one, considering the ace led 
before the king to be a legitimate call for trumps. 
It is considered, however, by the authorities that 
if a player is strong enough to call for trumps, 
he is strong enough to lead them. 

Continue the play of a suit of which your 
right-hand adversary is weak and the left strong, 
consequently be careful of returning your 
partner's lead ; if you have taken the trick with 
a low card, the chances are the strength is with 
your right-hand opponent. 

SECOND HAND. 

The general rule for the second hand is to play 
the lowest, the object being on the return lead 
to have the command, also to give your partner 
a chance to take the first trick. For example, 
suppose your right-hand adversary holds king, 
knave, and two small cards, you hold the aco 



86 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

queen, and a small one, your partner ten and 
two small ones, your left-hand adversary three 
low^ cards ; you play a small card on the first 
lead, your partner takes the trick with his ten. 
When your left-hand adversary enters again he 
returns his partner's lead wdien you hold the 
tenace over his king, knave, and he makes no 
trick in his suit. 

There are, how^ever, numerous exceptions to 
the rule of playing the lowest second hand. For 
example, if you liold three high cards in 
sequence with one or more small cards, play 
the low^est of the sequence, or with three cards 
moderately high, such as queen, knave, and 
another, cover a high card. 

With ace, queen, ten, play the queen. 

With ace, queen, knave, play the knave. 

With king, queen, and a small one, play the 
queen, the suit not being trumps. 

With ace, king, and a small one, play the 
king. 

If the knave be led and you, second hand, hold 
the ace, you should cover the knave ; if the 
leader played correctly the knave was the 
highest of his suit. By covering his knave, if your 
partner holds the king, he has command of the 
suit; if he holds the queen the chances are she is 
guarded and safe, the king being held by your 
left-hand adversary. 



SECOND HAND 87 

With king and another in trumps play the 
king second. 

With king and another not trumps play the 
small one, unless to cover a high card. 

With queen and another, whether in trumps 
or plain suits, play the small one, unless to cover 
a high card. 

If holding the best card in the second round 
of a suit, the second hand should win the trick, 
unless he is sure of a finesse against the first 
player. 

If you are short of a suit led play an honour, 
on an honour, if long play a small one. 

With five or more headed by the ace play the 
ace second, for fear of the suit being ruffed 
next round. 

With king, queen, and one or more small 
cards, the suit being trumps, play a small one; 
not being trumps play the queen. 

With ace, king, knave, play the king. 

If strong in trumps do not trump a doubtful 
card ; if weak trump always ; this will also convey 
the knowledge to your partner that you have 
only three or less trumps. 

It is a general rule that with four of a kind 
the second hand plays the smallest, with three 
of a kind the second best (if in sequence) ; thus 
with queen, knave and two or rnore small ones, 
with knave, ten, and two or more small ones. 



88 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

etc., you play a small one; but with the queen, 
knave, and one small one, or with knave, ten, 
and one small one, or with the ten, nine, and 
one small one, you play the second best. 

Vfith great strength in trumps the second 
hand should pass tricks which in plain suits he 
would cover, for the double reason of leaving it 
tor his partner to take and keepin^g command of 
the adversaries' suit. 

THIRD HAND. 

The general rule for the third hand is to play 
the highest, not only to win the trick, but to 
strengthen his partner's hand, he being sup- 
posed to play from his best suit, and if you do 
not win the trick you help to establish his suit 
by getting the highest cards out of his w^ay. The 
exceptions to the rule are, first, that you play the 
lowest of a sequence if you hold no higher card 
than the highest of your sequence. And 
second, the finesse, the special attribute of 
the third hand, and the most difficult part of 
the game to acquire, necessitating great judg- 
ment and skill both in theory and practice. 

The finesse consists in playing the second or 
third best on a low card of your partner's lead 
when you hold the best. For example, if you hold 
the ace and queen of your partner's lead, you 



THIRD HAND 89 

play the queen, supposing the king is with your 
partner or your right-hand adversary. If you 
hold but three of the suit led, you take with 
the queen and lead the ace; if you hold ace, 
queen, and two or more small ones, you 
return a small one. 

If you want one trick to win or save the 
game, suppose each player has three trumps and 
your partner is obliged to lead a trump, you 
liold king and two small ones, fearing the ace 
may be with your left-hand adversary, you 
finesse your king and play a small one, your 
adversary is obliged to take the trick and return 
a trump ; you then must secure one trick w ith 
your king. 

When strong in trumps you can afford to 
finesse more closely, as your long trumps will 
bring in your high cards. 

Refrain from finessing in your partner's long 
suit. As he wants the high cards out of his way, 
the cards you hold of the suit led and the card 
led will be a sure indication whether he has led 
from strength or w^eakness ; if he has led from 
weakness, you may finesse more freely. 

As a general thing, it is imprudent to finesse 
the second time round of a suit, as the chances 
are the trick will be trumped the third round ; if 
however, the trumps are all out, and if you w^ant 
one or two tricks to save or win the game, you 



90 THE LAWS OF SHORT AVHIST 

may finesse more closely and throw the lead 
into your opponents' hands. For example, the 
trumps are all out, one suit remains untouched, 
your right-hand adversary holds the king, 
queen, and ten, you hold ace, knave, and nine. 
Your right-hand adversary plays the king, you 
finesse the nine, w^hich gives you two tricks ; had 
you taken with the ace, you would have made 
but one trick. 

You finesse deeper in trumps than in ordinary 
suits and more freely in your adversaries' suits 
than in your partner's, also more in the suits of 
your right-hand adversary than in those of your 
left. 

Be careful to watch the fall of the cards from 
your left-hand adversary ; if he is weak in the 
suit, finesse freely, and do not throw^ away 
unnecessarily high cards. 

If your partner leads the ace followed by the 
queen of a suit and you hold the king and two 
small ones, take his queen with your king and 
return a small one, that you may not stop his 
suit. 

Suppose your partner leads the nine of a plain 
suit, this card, if the lead is an original one, dis- 
tinctly informs you that your partner holds weak 
cards in all the suits, and that this is the best of 
the suit led ; your right-hand adversary plays a 
small one, you hold ace, knave, ten, and one 



PASSING THE TRICK, OR FINESSING 91 

small card, you pass the nine ; if your left-hand 
adversary is obliged to take with the king you 
have the command over your right-hand ad- 
versary, \vho evidently holds the queen. 

If your partner leads a suit of which you hold 
ace, queen, and knave you finesse your knave 
and wait for your partner to enter and again 
lead the suit ; the king must be either with him 
or your right-hand adversary ; if the latter, the 
chances are he never makes it, as your partner 
must see you hold the tenace over the king, in 
consequence of not returning the lead. 

If you require one trick to save or win the 
game and hold ace and queen, it is useless to 
finesse, and you might lose the trick by doing 
so. 

In connection with the play of the third hand 
and the subject of finesse, we here quote a 
chapter from the great Deschapelles, to whom 
we are indebted for the fundamental principles 
of our rules : — 

PASSING THE TRICK, OR FINESSING. 

If, when a suit is played, each party were 
to hasten to force it with their best card, the 
most skilful player would be he who is best 
furnished with that suit; the strongest card 



92 THE LAWS OF SHOUT WHIST 

would, in all cases, determine the fortune of the 
players ; all science and skill would entirely 
disappear from the game, and the empire of 
brute force, operating in all cases with the same 
power, would be firmly established. Ennui 
would soon give rise to new reforms, the useless 
trouble of dealing the cards would be discon- 
tinued, and thus, that beautiful problem, Whist, 
would be degraded into the common and ignoble 
game of Rouge ou Xoir. 

All this is, however, prevented by the 
finesse. 

The principle of this practice, w hich forms 
an essential part in all the various combinations 
we are here investigating, and which is based 
upon acute discernment and a well-calculated 
doctrine of chance, is diametrically opposed to 
mere chance. It deprives the latter, one by 
one, of all those solid, and apparently, enormous 
advantages it possesses, and eventually com- 
pletes the triumph of mind over matter. 

" It appears here indispensably necessary to 
define the various and different acceptations in 
which the word finesse may be taken; qualifying 
each of them by an epithet which will facilitate 
our progress, and render our meaning more 
intelligible to the reader. 

^' We shall commence by designating the 
principal circumstance of the finesse, annexing 



PASSING THE TRICK, OR FINESSING 93 

definitions and examples illustrative of their 
nature, and characteristic of their peculiarites. 

1. The finesse proper. 

2. The returned finesse. ' 

3. The finesse by trial. 

4. The forced finesse. 

5. The finesse by speculation. 
G. The finesse on the partner. 

Tlte Finesse Proper. — When, upon the 
invite of your partner, you refuse to force with 
your strongest card, or one of equal strength, 
you are in the case of th3 finesse proper. 

Holding the ace, queen, and ten, and taking 
with the queen, is a simple finesse ; that is, a 
finesse to the king. 

If your left-hand adversary hold the king, 
the finesse will have been unsuccessful, but 
you cannot be called to account for bad playing, 
for the chances w^ere three to one in your favour; 
that is, that the king was held by your right- 
hand adversary, or, more probably, by your 
partner. Even in this latter case, the finesse is 
not without some consequence, because it affords 
you the opportunity, after you have made your 
ace, of returning your partners lead, by a low 
card of that suit in which, by his invite, he may 
be presumed to hold strong cards . 

" If, instead of taking the trick with the queen, 



94 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

you only forced with the ten, or even let pass a 
nine or eight played by the partner, the finesse 
w^ould be double, treble, or quadruple, without 
losing its denomination. 

' ' When your partner leads in a certain suit, 
it may be presumed that he does so with some 
intention ; he is desirous of assisting you to 
make as many tricks as possible in that suit. 
How^ever vague it may be, it is your business to 
interpret his meaning. Has he played in this 
manner to rid himself of the suit, or to favour 
another suit and get the last play? Or is his 
motive to favour your play, as he has no oppor- 
tunity of making tricks himself ? If his inten- 
tion be to get rid of the suit, return his lead, 
and do not forget to play out your highest cards; 
if he wish to get the last play, return the suit, 
and preserve your low cards to continue the 
play; if he wish to favour your play, the suit is 
then confided to your care; make the best use 
of it and exert all your skill to make it last as long 
as possible. The difference between these an- 
swers and the evil resulting from mistaking either 
of his motives, are evident. Nothing therefore 
should be neglected which may give you a 
chance of discovering his intention. To attain 
this end requires, how^ever, considerable re- 
flection, without wiiich no one can expect to 
succeed. 



PASSING THE TRICK, OR FINESSING 95 

Firstly. We must consider the skill and 
mode of playing of our partner, together with 
the interest and attention he bestows on the 
game ; we must next endeavour to remember 
the cards already played, and the particular cir- 
cumstances of the round. We must always be 
prepared to take advantage of every information 
we may acquire ; and, in all instances, to make 
allowances for those circumstances which may 
modify or change our position. 

The motives for a peculiar system of play 
rest entirely with the player ; it is here that pro- 
ficients display their great skill. Much might 
be said on this question, so much, indeed, that 
we think it more advisable to refrain from enter- 
ing on the subject, as we have already demon- 
strated the danger of overcharging the memory 
with the peculiarities of each case, and as the 
position of the player is continually changing 
in form and circumstances . 

" It will be observed, once for all, that the 
cases which we quote as examples are purely 
hypothetical ; and that our precepts are equally 
applicable to every stage of the game. 

" When strong cards are played, the finesse 
is a general practice , which no one omits to 
employ. There are, how^ever, many cases in 
which it should not be used. We should keep 
our attention continually on the stretch to guide 



96 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

US, after well weighing it advantages, in the 
pursuit of that plan which others practise as a 
matter of course. One moment of inattention 
or distraction is sufficient to draw us into some 
absurd fault, which will sacriflce our reputation 
for ever. We have seen very skilful players 
pass a trick which would have w on them the 
game ; and we have known others commit the 
same error upon the last trick but one, although 
they still held a trump. 

" The finesse is also a dangerous experiment 
with a bad hand, because as only w^eak cards 
are then held, every new lead must become a 
fresh source of injury to your game ; it is also 
very unsafe to try it upon a trick which may 
save the game. 

" The Returned Finesse.— This finesse takes 
place on the lead of the left-hand adversary ; 
but it is not definitive, since your partner has 
not yet played, and he may be in a condition to 
take the trick. With a good hand, this finesse 
may continue some time ; and we may thus 
procure an opportunity for making an advanta- 
geous counter-invite ; the same occurs when it 
is to our interest to give our partner the lead, 
but we should assist him when he holds weak 
cards, and support him in a suit of which hemay 
probably hold none ; holding ace and queen, 



PASSING THE TRICK, OR FINESSING 97 

put clo\vn the queen ; the danger is then in the 
false inyite. 

A false invite is easily diseoyered, by com- 
paring the card played with those already out ; 
it is also known by an acquaintance with the 
player's game, by his necessity of inviting with 
a low card for want of a stronger, or by that 
description of play which is interested in deceiv- 
ing all parties. The point of time in which 
this occurs, and its coincident circumstances, 
are our chief assistance in the solution of the 
problem. For this, we refer our readers to our 
remarks on the subject of the true invite. Whe- 
ther it be that the elements of analysis are not 
sufficiently numerous, or that they are impro- 
perly applied, or whether our attention is distrac- 
ted by some new stratagem of the enemy, it 
must be confessed that the meaning intended to 
be conveyed by invites is frequently mistaken. 
To this we can only remark with the physician 
in Moliere. Sometimes, however, all this will 
not prevent the patient's dying; but, at any rate, 
you will be consoled by reflecting that you have 
done something^ for him. 

' ' Frequently, when your partner is short of 
a suit, your right-hand adversary, presuming 
upon the weakness of his hand, v/ill not fail to 
play a low card, and his partner, understanding 
his intention, will take it with his strongest, con- 



98 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

trarytothe usual practice; this manoeuvre will be 
repeated a second time, and if you allow^ the 
trick to be taken, in hopes of preserving your 
resources, you \vill lose a point ; sometimes, 
also, it may be to your interest to take the lead, 
in order to play some strong card, or to get the 
lead again into your partners hand. In all these 
cases, it is advisable not to finesse, since, in 
general, all the strongest cards should be played 
out by w^hich there may be any hope of making 
a trick. 

The same may be remarked of every de- 
scription of finesse, when there is question of a 
trick of importance, wdiich may cause the win- 
ning, or prevent the losing of the game. 

Of the Finesse by Trial— li, holding king, 
knave, and ten, you put down the latter, on the in- 
vite either of your right-hand adversary or part- 
ner, and if it be taken by the ace on your left, you 
are justified in concluding that the queen is not 
there; whence it follows, that on the return of 
the suit, you may securely put down your knave, 
as the finesse has been fairly tried. 

This deduction may be considered certain 
upon the invite of the partner, for the last player 
w^ould never have taken with the ace, and made 
the king the best card, if he could have taken the 
trick with the queen, unless by a mistake, 



PASSING THE TRICK, OR FINESSING 99 

which you cannot, of course, be expected to 
take into account. If the invite had originated 
from your right-hand antagonist, your security 
would not be so good, because it might happen 
that your left-hand player would not choose to 
risk a trick in a very long suit, or because it 
might be to his interest to take the trick at all 
events ; from which it follows, that this finesse 
can never be tried beyond a certain point, and 
we should place no dependence upon it, except 
when admitted by the game, or when the trick 
is of minor importance. 

With regard to the important trick above 
mentioned, we must here remark, that when it 
may win the game, it should never be allowed 
to pass. 

" We have seen some persons play with this 
trick, as a cat plays with a mouse ; even letting 
it escape them, blindly confident that another 
opportunity would present itself, and that they 
could take the trick whenever they pleased. 
Their folly, however, frequently suffered a just 
punishment ; for the opportunity never occurred 
again, and they lost not only the game, but, 
perhaps, the rubber, and did not dare to reply 
to the irritated looks of a partner, who was pre- 
vented only by politeness from bestowing a 
severe rebuke. Besides so disagreeable a di- 
lemma, there is another circumstance of some 



100 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

weight, which is, that when the game is on the 
point of being lost, the moment of suspense 
should not be prolonged. 

With respect to the trick which prevents 
the loss of the game, w^e are not of opinion that 
it should always be taken on the first oppor- 
tunity. 

But let us be understood: this trick is not 
of such importance, either when you hold in 
your own hand, or when you know that your 
partner possesses the means of winning it, nor 
when, instead of a certainty, you have three or 
four probable chances of saving the game ; these 
latter chances are more especially to be weighed 
in the scale against the hopes you may entertain 
of making the trick by playing with less timi- 
dity. In this case we should be w'ell acquainted 
with the number of trumps not yet played, the 
thirteenth card of each of the four suits, the 
best cards remaining in the four hands, and 
where they lie, etc., etc. It is the knowledge 
of these facts wdiich makes this trick of compa- 
rative insignificance to the proficient. 

We have already given it as our opinion, 
that the only case in which this trick should not 
be exposed to risk, is between the points of three 
and four." 



FOURTH HAND 



101 



FOURTH HAND. 

Authorities generally say the fourth hand has 
}3ut little to do but to win the trick ^vith his 
lowest available card, unless it is his partner's, 
in which case he must throw away the lowest 
of the suit led, or the lowest of his poorest suit 
(here the leader should watch carefully the 
card thrown away, as it is the first opportunity 
the fourth hand has for calling for trumps) ; but 
there are two very important elements of 
Scientific Whist which enter into the play of the 
fourth hand, viz., Throwinrj theLeadand Under- 
play. The first is by refusingto win the trick and 
compelling your left-hand adversary to lead up 
to your tenace or second guarded. There are 
also cases when it is advisable to take your 
partner's trick to get the master cards out of 
his way, or, taking it for the purpose, of leading 
up to a weak suit in the hands of your right- 
hand adversary. 

Suppose you require two tricks to save or win 
the game and you hold ace, knave, and a small 
one of a plain suit ; the trumps are all out, your 
left-hand adversary leads the king, your partner 
and right-hand adversary play small cards, if 
your cover with your ace you mate but one 



102 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

trick; tlie queen, ten, and nine being held by your 
adversary ; by passing the trick and thereljy 
thro\Ying the lead again to your left-hand ad- 
versary, you must make both ace and knave. 

The facility with which an experienced player 
can throw- the lead into the hand of his opponent 
or partner, and the numerous combinations con- 
nected therewith, are engines of immense 
powder in his hand against an inexperienced 
player. 

It w^as in throwing the lead that Deschapelles 
made his grands coups^ which mostly consisted 
in getting rid of superfluous trumps or winning 
cards, and throwing the lead into his partner's or 
adversaries' hands. For example, suppose your 
partner holds the ace of clubs, ace of spades, 
and two small cards, your right-hand adversary 
holds king of diamonds (trumps) guarded, you 
hold ace, queen, and one small trump, and a 
small spade. It is your partner's lead and you 
require all four tricks to save or win the game. 
Your partner leads the ace of clubs, and you 
kno\^ he holds the ace of spades, and that your 
right-hand adversary must hold the king of 
trumps guarded, because both your partner and 
left, hand adversary have refused trumps. If 
you let your partner's ace make the trick you 
make but three tricks, whereas if you trump his 
ace and lead the small spade you must make 



FOURTH HAND 103 

four; your partner takes your small spade wiiii 
his ace: the lead is in his hand and you hold the 
tenace over the king guarded ; had you let the 
ace of clubs, make you must trump the third 
round and lead up to the king guarded and con- 
sequently make but three tricks. We will give 
an illustration of these tactics farther on in the 
Double Dummy grand coup de Vienne,^' Avhich 
has become ot'world-wide notoriety and is given 
by all authorities. 

Underplay is also a powerful attribute of the 
fourth hand, and should be carefully studied 
by the beginner ; it consists in returning the 
lowest of your left-hand adversary's lead, having 
the highest in hand that your partner may make 
his third best if he have it, and you remain with 
the commanding card. For example, suppose 
you hold ace, queen, and a small card of any 
suit, your left-hand adversary leads the seven 
from the king, nine, eight, and seven; your right- 
hand adversary puts on knave, you cover with 
the queen, and when you are obliged to lead 
that suit you underplay and lead your small 
one ; your left-hand adversary fancying the ace 
is held by your partner, finesses his nine, which 
your partner takes with the ten, and your ad- 
versaries make nothing in the suit. 

You should not return the suit at once, as you 
may be suspected of an attempt at underplay. 



104 THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 

and your right-hand adversary may trump the 
third round, besides, the original leader may 
again lead the suit, when of course your partner 
takes w ith the ten and you have the conimand 
of the king. 

Again, supposing your right-hand adversary 
takes the trick with the ace and you hold the 
king, w hen he returns the lead you play a small 
one to give your partner a chance to win the 
trick. Great judgment, however, must be ex- 
ercised in this play, and allowance made for the 
skill of your left-hand adversary. If he be a 
first-class player, he will suspect you, and if a 
poor one he will never make the finesse. 

DEDUCTIONS or INFERENCES FROM LEADS 
AND PLAYS. 

*^ Make fair deductions : sec to ^\iiat they mount." 

A good Whist-player draws inference from 
every card thatfalls upon the table, and he wdio 
can most quickly make his deductions, must 
become the most finished player. It w ill be seen 
by this under what a great disadvantage the 
player labours wdio is always looking at his ow^n 
hand instead of the cards as they fall ; the know- 
ledge good players acquire of the cards held by 
the different players after one or two rounds 
appears almost incredible. 



DEDUCTIONS OR INFERENCES 105 

The following are a lew examples of the de- 
ductions drawn from the cards played : — 

ORIGINAL LEAD. 



Play. 



A trump. 



Any plain suit . 



Ace, 



Ace followed by the queen 
King 



Queen. 
Knave. 



fideductiou. 

Holds five or more trumps 
or four trumps, and is 
strong in the other suits. 

Is the best in his hand, 
holding four or more. 

Has one of three hands, 
viz., ace, queen, knave, 
and others. 

Or ace, knave, ten, nine, 
etc. — Or ace, and three 
or more small ones. 

Holds knave also. 

Holds either the ace or 
queen ; if he next play 
a small one, does not 
hold ace, but queen and 
ace must lie with his 
partner. 

Holds also knave or ten, 
but neither king nor ace. 

Holds king, queen, and 
two or more small ones, 
or knave, ten, nine, and 
others, the king or queen 
falling the first round, 
you can infer which of 
the hands was led from. 



106 THE LAWS OF 

Play. 

Ten 



Nine 

(Returning his partner's 
lead.) 

Plays a small card, and 
afterwards a higher 

Plays a high card, and 
after\K'ards a lo\^er 

Does not immediately re- 
turn his partner's suit, 
but opens a ne\K> one, . . 

Forces his partner 

Does not force his partner 
Discards on his partners 
\v inning card 

Discards the ace of a suit. 

Discards the second best. 



SHORT WHIST 

l>eduction. 

Holds knave and king and 
may hold queen, or it is 
the head of a sequence. 
The second card falling 
will tell you which hand 
was led from. 

Holds no good cards in 
any suit (if it is an ori- 
ginal lead) . It may how- 
ever be the lowest card 
of a sequence. 

Has more than three in 
the suit. 

Has only two or three of 
the suit. 



Is strong in the suit which 

he opens. 
Is strong in trumps. 
Isweak in trumps. 

Is weak in the suit dis- 
carded. 

Has complete command 
of it. 

Has no more of the suit. 



DEDUCTIONS OR INFERENCES 



107 



SECOND 

I»lay. 

Ace 

King (small trump led) . . 

King (plain suit led) 

Queen 

Knave 

Ten 

Any small card 



Does not trump a wm- 
ning card 

Does not trump a doubt- 
ful trick 

Trumps a doubtful trick 

THIRD 

Ace , . . 

King 



PLAYER. 

Hc«luction 

Has only the one card. 

Has but one other. 

Holds ace also or no more. 

Holds king and others. 

Holds king and queen or 
king and ace, or queen 
and one small card. 

Holds knave and one 
small card. 

Has none lo^Yer; if a lo^ver 
one is played second 
round, it is a call for 
trumps 

Does not want to take the 
force; is strong in 
trumps. 

Is strong in trumps (more 

than three) . 
Is weak in trumps (three 

or less). 

FLAYER. 

Has neither king nor 

queen. 
Has neither queen nor 

knave. 



108 



THE LAWS OF SHORT WHIST 



Queen 

Any card lox'^er than ace^ 
king^ queen 



I^eductiosi. 

May have the ace. 

The highest he has of the 
suit led, unless it is the 
lowest of a sequence. 



FOURTH PLAYER. 



Wins w ith a high card and 
thenplays a lower one, 
with which he might 
also have taken the trick 

Wins with a king and re- 
turns a small one 



Does not win the trick,. 



Wins the trick . . 
Any card played.. 



Has all the intermediate 
cards. 

Probably holds the ace, 
and wants his partner 
to make the fourth best 
card. 

Has no card better than 
the one against him, or 
is strong in trumps and 
will not take the force. 

Has no intermediate card 
or else a sequence. 

Does not hold the one next 
below it. 



When trumps have been exhausted play any 
suit but that from which your partner first dis- 
carded, as the inferences are that is his weakest 
suit. 



THE THIRTEENTH CARD 



109 



THE THIRTEENTH CARD, 

There are several inferences to be drawn 
from the lead of the thirteenth card ; first, it 
may be for the purpose of throwing the lead 
into the adversaries' hand that they may be 
compelled to lead up to a tenace ; or your partner 
may have turned up the king of trumps, you 
hold the ace, and you are certain from the fall 
of the cards that your partner has no more; if 
your adversaries get the lead both your king and 
ace fall to a small one, you lead the thirteenth 
card and your partner puts on his king, and you 
make two tricks in trumps. Again, if you play 
a thirteenth card (generally a bad play, unless 
all the trumps are out, for the purpose of forcing 
your adversaries, one of them may discard, pre- 
venting you from making two or three rounds in 
another suit ; to obviate this discard, play out 
your master cards, before you play your thir- 
teenth; this play always requires great judg- 
ment and discretion. 



GRAND COUP IN" DOUBLE DUMMY 



111 



I - O Ci 

C: C30 — 



0'- 



O « cci 



W ^ 

CO o 



C/2 



C ^ 5? 

CL. '-=5 J 
a. s o s 



1-6 



< ^ -JO 
CO - 



c3 



fob 

s ^ 



i % 2 



■3 ^ 

73 > 

o 2 



=> g 55 

to '^3 _^ 

rr 

^ - 

o o 5 



2 ^ g ^ ^ 

I 2 5 ^ ^ 

8 -o ?P 

c5 



^ o 

CO ^ 



c/3 ^ o 

2 ^ »3 S o 

- o -§ g ^ 

- 5 ^ Q ^, 



^ o o ^ >^ 
O o o t:: p-^ 



i CO o ;5 











V- i.'t 


^ 5 














5 o» 





^ -CJ c: ^ ; 



a c3 =^ 
ci cj 



0) o 2 

— — c 



^ 1- ' 

Ol ^ — 

fcr;f '-S 
.5 O 
> c<» 13 



C U O P, CJ ^ 



< 


< < ^ o o 






o o 


> — 

2 c-1 cc 




,5 








cc 1-1 3; 








OC 00 CO 



^: 3i O <^ S ' 



NOTICE TO MEMBERS OF CLUBS 



Any Citizen of the United States belonging to a 
first-class Club, or Citizens of Great Britain and Ire- 
land Members of first-class Clubs in their o\{?n country, 
and not residents of Paris, may be admitted to all the 
privileges of Membership at the ''Washington Club'' 
(with the exception of introducing guests), for aperiod 
of eight days, on presentation of any document verify- 
ing such Membership, The Washington Club'' has 
the most beautiful position in the City of Paris, occu- 
pying one side of the Place de VOpera, on the others are 
situated the new Opera House, the Grand Hotel, and 
the Sporting Club. 



INSTRUCTIVE 

s 

AND 

ENTERTAINING BOOKS. 



BlaiJcie's How to Get Strong, 

How to Get Strong, and How to Stay So. By William Blaikie. Il- 
lustrated. 16mo, Cloth, $1 00. 

Forneifs Anecdotes of PiibliG Men. 

Anecdotes of Public Men. By John W. Forney. 12mo, Cloth, $2 00. 

Ameses Modern Whist. 

Modern Whist. By Fisher Ames, With the Laws of the Game. 
32mo, Paper, 20 cents. 

Bigeloio'^s Bench and Bar. 

Bench and Bar: a Complete Digest of the Wit, Humor, Asperities, 
and Amenities of the Law. New Edition, greatly Enlarged. By L. 
J. BiGELOw. Crown Svo, Cloth, $2 CO. 

FieUVs Memories of Many Men and of Some 
Women. 

Memories of Many Men and of Some Women: being Personal Recol- 
lections of Emperors, Kings, Queens, Princes, Presidents, Statesmen, 
Authors, and Artists, at Home and Abroad, during the last Thirty 
Years. By Maunsell B. Field. 12mo, Cloth, $2 00. 

HepwortKs Starboard andj Port. 

Starboard and Port \ the "Nettie " Along Shore. A Summer's Yacht 
Cruise along the Coasts of Maine and Labrador. By George H. Hep- 
worth. Illustrated. 12mo, Cloth, $1 75. 



2 Instructive and Entertaining Boohs. 



Countess Blessington^ s Memoirs, 

The Literary Life and Correspoudeiice of the Countess of Blessing- 
tou. Compiled and Edited by R. E. Madden. With Tortrait. 2 vols., 
12mo, Cloth, $3 00. 

WJiartons^ Queens of Society, 

The Queens of Society. By Grace and Philip Wuarton. Illustrated 
by Charles Altaraont Doyle and the Brothers Dalziel. 12mo, Cloth, 
$1 75. 

Whartoni Wits and Beaux of Society, 

The Wits and Beaux of Society. By Geace and Philip Wharton. 
With Illustrations from Drawings by H. Browne and Jas. Godwin. 
Engraved by the Brothers Dalziel. 12mo, Cloth, $1 75. 

Macready'^s Reminiscences, 

Macready's Eeminiscences, and Selections from his Diary and Letters. 
Edited by Sir Frederick Pollock, Bart., one of his Executors. With 
Portraits. Crown 8vo, Cloth, $1 50. 

Ilaweis^s Music and Morals. 

Music and Morals. By Eev. H. E. Haweis, M.A. With Illustrations 
and Diagrams. 12mo, Cloth, $1 75. 

Countess GuiccioWs Lord Byron, 

My Eecollections of Lord Byron ; and those of Eye -Witnesses of his 
Life. By the Countess Guiccloli. Translated by Hubert E. H. Jer- 
NiNGHAM. With a Portrait. 12mo, Cloth, $1 75. 

Cox's Why We Laugh, 

Why We Laugh. By Samuel S. Cox. 12mo, Cloth, $1 50. 

Curran and his Contemporaries, 

Currau and his Contemporaries. By Charles Phillips. 12mo, 
Cloth, $150. 



Instructive and Entertaiyiing Books, 



3 



Beanmarchais and his Times. 

Sketches of French Society iu the Eighteenth Century, from Unpub- 
lished Documents. By Louis De Lomenie. Translated by Henry 
S. Edwaeds. 12mo, Cloth, $1 50c 

Scotfs Fisliing in American Waters. 

Fishing in American Waters. By Genio C. Scott. A New Edition, 
containing Parts Six and Seven, on Sonthern and Miscellaneous 
Fishes. Illustrated. 8vo, Cloth, $3 50. 

Haydor^s Autobiograjyliy. 

Life of Benjamin Robert Haydon, Historical Painter, from his Auto- 
biography and Journals. Edited and Compiled by Tom Taylor, of 
the Inner Temple. 2 vols., 12mo, Cloth, $3 00. 

Hoffmanns Camjp^ Courts and Siege. 

Camp, Court, and Siege: a Narrative of Personal Adventure and Ob- 
servation during Two Wars. 1861-1SG5. 1S70-18T1. By Wickiiam 
Hoffman, Assistant Adjutant-General U. S. Vols., and Secretary U. S. 
Legation at St. Petersburg. 12mo, Cloth, $1 25. 

Seymour'' s Self -Made Men. 

Self-Made Men. By Charles C. B. Seymour. Many Portraits. 12mo, 
Cloth, $1 75. 

American Wit and Humor. 

American Wit and Humor. Illustrated by J. MgLenan. Svo, Paper, 
30 cents. 

" SinitKs Theatrical Management. 

Theatrical Management iu the West and South for Thirty Years, in- 
terspersed with Anecdotical Sketches, Autobiographically given. By 
Sol. Smith, Retired Actor. With Fifteen Illustrations and a Portrait 
of the Author. Svo, Cloth, $1 30 ; Paper, 80 cents. 



4 



Instructive and IJntertaining Books, 



The Percy Anecdotes, 

The Percy Anecdotes. To which is added a Collection of American 
Anecdotes, Original and Selected. Svo, Cloth, $2 00 ; Sheep, $2 50. 

Aldeii^s Canoe and Flying Proa, 

The Canoe and the Flying Proa; or, Cheap Cruising and Safe Sail- 
ing. By W. L. Aldex. With Illustrations. 32mo, Paper, 25 cents; 
Cloth, 40 cents. 

Holmes^ s Life of Mozart, 

Life of Mozart, including his Correspondence. By Edwabd Holmes, 
12mo, Cloth, $1 00. 

0'^ Flanagan^ s Irish Bar, 

The Irish Bar: comprising Anecdotes, JBon-TTiote, and Biographical 
Sketches of the Bench and Bar of Ireland. By J. Rodekiok O'Flan- 
AGAN. 4to, Paper, 15 cents. 

0'^ Flanagan^ s Munster Circuit. 

The Munster Circuit. Tales, Trials, and Traditions. By J. Rodeuick 
O'Flanaqan. 4to, Paper, 15 cents. 

Memoirs of Madame De Remusat, 

Memoirs of Madame De Eemusat. 1S02-1S0S. Edited, with a Preface 
and Notes, by her Grandson, Paul be Eemcsat, Senator. Translated 
by Mrs. Cashel Hoey and Mr. John Lillie. Part L, 4to, Paper, 
10 cents. Part II., 4to, Paper, 10 cents. Part III., Illustrated, 4to, 
Paper, 10 cents. 



Published by HARPER & BROTHERS, New Tork. 

IIaepee & Brothees send any of the above icorJcs by mail, post- 
age prepaid, to any part of the United States, on receipt of the price. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 




029 604 681 4 



t 



